For the first time in the Da Nang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital, the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technique, which replaces the function of the heart and lungs, has been successfully applied to save the life of a 15-year-old patient residing on Tran Cao Van Street, Thanh Khe District.

EMCO is a life-saving technique providing machine-enabled cardiac support to people with insufficient oxygen in the blood, caused by problems in the heart and lungs.

Previously, on 2 August, the child patient was rushed to the hospital due to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel and low blood pressure.

After an hour of emergency monitoring by doctors, echocardiography and intensive resuscitation were immediately performed on the patient who was suffering from arrhythmia at that time.

The patient was then diagnosed with myocarditis because viruses had caused cardiogenic shock, failure and sudden cardiac arrest.

In an attempt to save the life of the child, doctors from the city’s Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital, in a prompt fashion, consulted with others from the city’s General, Viet Nam National Children’s and Cho Ray hospitals about the application of the ECMO technology to the patient.

After 6 days of ECMO treatment and intensive care, the patient has gradually recovered his health. He is now able to be taken off the ventilator, and his heart and blood vessels have resumed their normal operations.

He is expected to be discharged from the hospital in the next few days.

The cost of this advanced treatment is about 300 million VND.