Advanced ECMO and Multiorgan Life Support Services

Kauvery Hospital, Vadapalani, has launched a suite of specialised Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) services to support patients with complex clinical needs as part of a comprehensive critical care approach that considers the heart, lungs and other organs collectively. The hospital’s Kauvery Centre for ECMO & Advanced Life Support offers a range of specialised services, including VV-ECMO for severe respiratory failure, VA-ECMO for cardiac failure, V-AV ECMO (Hybrid ECMO) for combined heart and lung failure, awake ECMO, and ECMO-supported road and air transfers. VV-ECMO primarily supports the lungs by oxygenating the blood and removing carbon dioxide, while VA-ECMO provides both respiratory and circulatory support when the heart is unable to pump blood effectively. V-AV ECMO (Hybrid ECMO) combines the benefits of both approaches to provide support for patients with combined heart and lung failure. In appropriately selected patients, awake ECMO enables them to remain conscious while receiving the life support they need. ECMO-supported air and road transfers enable critically ill patients at hospitals without ECMO facilities to access this advanced life-support intervention. Kauvery Hospital’s specialised team travels to the referring hospital to assess the patient and initiate ECMO support when clinically indicated. The patient is then transferred to Kauvery Hospital, Vadapalani, under continuous ECMO support, where advanced facilities and a multidisciplinary team of specialists provide further treatment. As the clinical challenges often extend beyond initiating ECMO, patients may require simultaneous support for other failing organs, careful fluid management, specialised dialysis and coordinated care across multiple disciplines. To address these complex needs, the Kauvery Centre for ECMO & Advanced Life Support has a dedicated multidisciplinary team of experienced specialists, supported by continuous monitoring and treatment decisions tailored to each patient’s evolving condition. The centre brings together ECMO specialists, cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiothoracic anaesthetists, perfusionists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, critical care specialists, nephrologists, haematologists, infectious disease specialists, ECMO-trained nurses, physiotherapists and other relevant clinical teams to deliver comprehensive, coordinated care. The programme is led by Dr. K. Madhan Kumar, Director – ECMO & VAD, Senior Consultant – Cardiothoracic & Transplant Surgeon at Kauvery Hospital, Vadapalani, who currently serves as President of the ECMO Society of India. In his comments, Dr. Madhan Kumar said, “When severe heart or lung failure does not respond to conventional treatment, ECMO provides temporary life support, allowing doctors to treat the underlying condition and assess the potential for recovery. Managing such patients often involves addressing complications affecting other organs, requiring careful monitoring and timely clinical decisions. We are pleased to have established the Kauvery Centre for ECMO & Advanced Life Support, bringing together advanced facilities, specialised expertise and a multidisciplinary team to manage complex critical-care cases and provide comprehensive, coordinated care tailored to each patient’s needs.” Dr. Aravindan Selvaraj, Co-founder and Executive Director, Kauvery Group of Hospitals, said: “Advanced critical care depends on the strength of the team behind it. The ability to manage complex conditions comes from bringing together the right specialists, technology and clinical judgement, particularly when a patient’s needs change rapidly. At Kauvery Hospital, our focus is on building these capabilities as part of a coordinated approach to care, so that patients with serious and complex conditions can be assessed and treated by teams equipped to address their needs.” Through the Kauvery Centre for ECMO & Advanced Life Support, Kauvery Hospital Vadapalani continues to focus on specialised heart and lung support, multi-organ care and complex critical-care management. The emphasis remains on combining technology with clinical expertise and coordinated teamwork when conventional treatment may no longer be enough.