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Desperate ECMO treatment used at Bagram to breathe life into NATO ally

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Rau
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan --  A specialized team dispatched from San Antonio Military Medical Center combined efforts with the 455th Expeditionary Medical Group to perform a just-in-time treatment on Feb. 18 in order to save the life of a NATO partner.

The patient was suffering from Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome secondary to Influenza B, and had to be admitted, and intubated, to the Craig Joint-Theater Hospital on Feb. 13. His condition worsened over the next 48 hours, and the decision to rapidly activate and deploy an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation team was reached in order to keep the patient alive.

ECMO works by bypassing the lungs and infusing the blood directly with oxygen, while removing the harmful carbon dioxide from the blood stream. This procedure requires a team of eight, highly-qualified medical personnel to initiate and continue around-the-clock treatment.

“I am grateful for the team that came from SAMMC. This is truly the only chance our patient has of surviving,” explained Maj. (Dr.) Valerie Sams, 455th EMDG trauma czar who coordinated life-saving care. “With his lung failure and kidney decline, he is still at about a 50 percent mortality risk. However, I think with his relatively young age and lack of significant chronic medical conditions, there is considerable hope.”

The CJTH supported with a staff of 40 providers, nurses, technicians, pharmacy, radiology, and lab personnel provided tireless care in the Intensive Care Unit. On top of that, another approximately 30 transport medics were used to ensure that the patient could be moved out of theater to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Altogether, nearly 80 military members provided 120 hours of continuous medical care for one NATO ally to have a chance at life.

“I am extremely proud of how all the medics came together to care for this patient,” said Col. Gianna Zeh, 455th EMDG commander. “They worked non-stop around the clock for six days. They had an unfailing commitment to serve this patient. They never gave up as a team and continuously problem solved to keep him alive. This is a great example of medics providing ‘Trusted Care, Anywhere.’”

The patient will need at least 7 to 14 days of additional ECMO treatment, and while his condition may still be grim, it is because of the combined efforts of deployed teams he now has a chance at recovery.