CUIMC/NewYork-Presbyterian ECMO Program Receives Platinum Level Award of Excellence

The Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian and Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital has been awarded a Platinum Level Award of Excellence from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO).   

ECMO is an advanced form of life support for patients with severe heart and/or lung conditions, temporarily replacing the functions of the organs while they recover or prior to organ transplantation. Doctors often perform ECMO in emergent settings to stabilize critically ill patients who have failed traditional management. ECMO may be used for patients experiencing severe respiratory failure from conditions such as the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), severe asthma, acute or chronic heart failure, or cardiac arrest. ECMO uses a pump and oxygenator, outside of the patient’s body, to provide oxygen to the blood supply, which is pumped back into the patient’s circulatory system through large tubes known as cannula.   

"Our ECMO team is committed to providing life-saving care for patients who can't be helped by conventional therapies," says Ali Gharavi, chair of the Department of Medicine at Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and physician-in-chief at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian. "This award affirms our dedication. Being recognized as a center of excellence allows us to continue providing highly skilled care to those who need it most."  

The ECMO program consists of a multidisciplinary team of specialists in surgery, cardiology, pulmonology & critical care medicine, nursing, and perfusion. In collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian, multiple centers at CUIMC including the Center for Acute Respiratory Failure and the Pulmonary Hypertension Comprehensive Care Center, work together to provide care for patients with a variety of conditions requiring ECMO support.  

Since 1982, thousands of ECMO procedures in neonates, children, and adults have been performed at CUIMC/NYP. Approximately 50 cases are performed at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital each year, making the hospital the largest pediatric ECMO program in the area.  

“This prestigious recognition is truly a testament to the hard work and dedication of Columbia’s ECMO team. The application alone is a Herculean effort, requiring several years of planning and months of preparation,” says Cara Agerstrand, associate professor of medicine at VP&S and director of respiratory ECMO at CUIMC/NYP. “It is quite an honor and recognition for Columbia and NYP and a reflection of the supportive leadership and institutional commitment that make achievements like this possible.”