Interdisciplinary Care Modality: Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
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Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
There are now more choices for treating patients with diseases that were once considered deadly as healthcare technology improves. A variety of healthcare technologies and therapy modalities have been developed to provide better patient care. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation will be the center of this paper (ECMO). An advanced level of training is required for this modality since it involves very advanced technology and is used to treat individuals with a potentially life-threatening disease that must be managed cautiously. Patients who have seriously damaged lungs and hearts and the two organs lack oxygen and blood supply can benefit from using this technology (Stentz et al., 2019).
An 80-year-old female customer with myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) would be a good candidate for this treatment approach in a case study. The patient is weak and unable to breathe, has fainted, and is experiencing chest pain and exhaustion. Health care providers have decided to shift their attention from ACE inhibitors, diuretics, and beta-blockers to measures that will lessen the burden on the patient's heart. A healthcare provider has instructed the individual to be a patient of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The main objective is that the patient's heart and lungs can rest and recuperate while on treatment. If the heart individuals and lungs cannot handle the task of supporting their systems on their own, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) may be the only option left for his health and survival.
Background and Explanation
Those who cannot get enough oxygen from their lungs and hearts can turn to Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for help. Individuals suffering from lung and heart failure and cardiac surgery can benefit. Additionally, this method can evaluate organs such as the brain and kidney before surgery. It serves as an additional support device for patients undergoing high-risk operations in the cardiac catheterization lab. ECMO pumps blood from the patient's body to an artificial lung device outside of the patient's body. The blood is oxygenated in the artificial lungs and pumped back to the patient's heart. This process resembles the normal process in which the heart naturally does its work. From infants to the elderly, all patients can be treated with this procedure, which has no defined target audience. Instead, it is intended for those afflicted with specific illnesses or disorders. Several heart diseases prohibit patients from pumping enough blood to their whole bodies, and this method would be utilized to treat these patients.
Patients with lungs that cannot eliminate carbon dioxide effectively would also benefit from this treatment. Patients awaiting a lung and heart transplant can also benefit from this method. Patients on ECMO receive analgesics, sedatives, blood thinners, and opioids. Benzodiazepines are samples of sedatives used, whereas morphine or fentanyl are samples of opioid pain relievers. To avoid the blood clots from forming in the tubes, heparin, a common blood thinner, can be used as a preventative measure. For the ECMO machine to provide the patient with the right and sufficient support for both organs, an advanced healthcare professional, for instance, a perfusionist, a nurse, or a lung therapist, must make sure that the settings are changed correctly and sufficiently. ECMO is a resource-intensive treatment option because of its high cost, with an average estimated cost of $70,000 covering ECMO pre- and post-procedures and hospital admission.
The Risks and Benefits
ECMO is an effective treatment for patients whose ailments impede the heart's and lungs' circulation of blood and oxygen all over the body. It lets these organs rest and recuperates from the intense workload they may have previously been subjected to (Firstenberg, 2019). Implementing measures to prevent infections, such as frequent hand washing, can help these patients heal well. Care must be taken to wash one's hands before and after touching the tube insertion locations. There are both positive and negative aspects to this treatment method. Internal bleeding, infection, stroke, and renal failure are all possible complications of using an ECMO device. Keeping a close eye on a patient's condition through regular lab testing and physical exams can help prevent bleeding. It is important to monitor kidney function and blood flow regularly to ensure the kidney is working properly. In case the patient's kidney functions fail, dialysis machines may be used to perform the parts of the patient's renal system for them. Hand hygiene and tubal checks can help prevent infections, as outlined earlier. A blood thinner, heparin, can aid in averting strokes by preventing blood clots from obstructing blood flow...