Aletah Whitman, ECMO patient.

CLEVELAND – A life-saving program at University Hospitals (UH) has been recognized for its high-quality patient care. The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization presented the ECMO program at UH Cleveland Medical Center with a Gold ELSO Award for Excellence in Life Support.

ECMO stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. It uses a machine that is a form of life support for people with life-threatening illnesses that affect the functioning of the heart or lungs. ECMO keeps blood moving around the body and helps deliver oxygen to the brain and other organs. A patient may need ECMO if they have experienced cardiac arrest, heart or lung failure, or severe trauma or infection.

The ELSO Excellence in Life Support Award recognizes centers worldwide that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to evidence-based processes and quality measures, staff training and education, and patient satisfaction. Award-winning centers have processes and systems that promote excellence and exceptional care.

“We are honored to receive such a prestigious award that highlights the high-quality, life-saving care we provide to our patients,” said Dr. Yasir Abu-Omar, cardiothoracic surgeon. Surgical Director of the Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Center; and Russ and Connie Lincoln Chair in Cardiovascular Innovation at the UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. “This is an example to the healthcare community and our patients of the excellent care we provide to patients in the most serious medical emergencies that come to our hospital.”

“This achievement reflects the dedication and passion of our care teams and, most importantly, the positive outcomes for our patients,” said Dr. Colin McCloskey, a specialist in anesthesiology, critical care and emergency medicine at UH.

One of these patients is Aletah Whitman. In the fall of 2023, the 52-year-old felt an “explosion” in her leg and lost consciousness. She was taken to UH Cleveland Medical Center, where she was connected to an ECMO.

Whitman was identified as a candidate for the hospital’s extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) program, a specialized approach in which patients are placed on ECMO before a diagnosis is confirmed to keep them alive while doctors work to determine and treat the cause of the condition. The multidisciplinary program is under the auspices of the Hambrick Center for Cardiac Recovery at the UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute and is one of many innovative and critical efforts to improve survival rates for cardiac arrest patients.

A CT scan showed a massive pulmonary embolism that led to cardiac arrest. While on ECMO, Whitman underwent a pulmonary embolectomy to remove the blood clots in her lungs. She spent four days in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit before regaining consciousness and being removed from ECMO. She was discharged to a rehabilitation clinic and eventually returned home. Less than two months after her cardiac arrest, she returned to work, performing light duties.

“So many things had to come together for this to go well,” Whitman said. “I know I’m so lucky. I just wanted to get back to my old life – my normal life. I’m so grateful to UH for the incredible care.”

Excellent care is the result of the collaboration of a complete team of medical professionals, including physicians, surgeons, respiratory therapists, trained nurses and perfusionists. The ELSO Gold Award for Excellence in Life Support is tangible recognition for a center that has all the processes in place to make sure everything “goes right” – high quality standards, specialized equipment and consumables, defined patient protocols and training for staff.