Contact: Maggie Diebolt
843.792.5021
Sept. 6, 2007
When organs fail, ECMO buys patients precious time
CHARLESTON -- The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) has received the Excellence in Life Support Award from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO), an international consortium of centers offering ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) for support of failing organ systems in infants, children and adults. MUSC is one of 115 international centers that offer ECMO and the only hospital in South Carolina to offer the life-saving treatment. ECMO is an acronym for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
ECMO is one of the most advanced forms of life support available to patients experiencing acute failure of the cardio-respiratory system. ECMO allows time for the patientís lungs or heart to heal by using a heart-lung machine to oxygenate and purify the blood outside the body over a period of time.
The Excellence in Life Support Award recognizes those centers that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to evidence-based processes and quality measures, staff training and continuing education, patient satisfaction, and ongoing clinical research. MUSC is one of the few centers to receive the Excellence in Life Support Award since its inception in 2006.
Dilip Purohit, M.D., medical director for ECMO, said the award serves as recognition for the dedicated team effort at MUSC to provide excellence in patient care for ECMO patients.
The award ceremony will take place at the 18th Annual ELSO Conference in Nashville, TN.
About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, The Medical University of South Carolina is the oldest medical school in the South. Today, MUSC continues the tradition of excellence in education, research, and patient care. MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and residents, and has nearly 10,000 employees, including 1,300 faculty members. As the largest non-federal employer in Charleston, the university and its affiliates have collective annual budgets in excess of $1.3 billion. MUSC operates a 600-bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children's Hospital and a leading Institute of Psychiatry. For more information on academic information or clinical services, visit www.musc.edu or www.muschealth.com.
About Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO)
ELSO is a consortium of health care professionals and scientists dedicated to the development and evaluation of novel therapies for support of failing organ systems. The organization promotes ongoing research into the most effective treatment methods by maintaining a registry of patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and providing educational programs for member centers and the broader medical and lay communities. More than 115 international ECMO centers are members of ELSO, which is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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