Media Release
Mangaluru, Dec 24: KMC Hospital Dr B R Ambedkar Circle Mangaluru, in collaboration with Dr Madhan's ECMO Health Care Pvt Ltd, has launched its ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) services, a first for coastal Karnataka and northern Kerala. This groundbreaking initiative offers advanced life-support technology for critically ill patients with severe heart and lung failure, providing them with a lifeline when traditional treatments prove insufficient.
The ECMO machine functions as a life-saving system, continuously pumping blood out of the body, oxygenating it, removing carbon dioxide, and returning it to the body. This advanced procedure supports patients suffering from severe heart and lung failure, serving as a bridge to recovery while physicians address the underlying conditions.
Dr Dattaraya Prabhu, head of critical care at KMC Hospital Dr B R Ambedkar Circle, expressed his enthusiasm for the new service. “We are thrilled to bring ECMO technology to this region, providing patients with a life-saving treatment option that was previously unavailable. This advanced system offers hope for individuals in critical condition, where traditional treatments might not suffice,” he stated.
The ECMO service, available from the end of this month, will significantly enhance the hospital's ability to treat patients with severe respiratory and cardiac failure, including those suffering from pneumonia, severe COVID-19, cardiac arrest, or severe trauma.
Dr Madhan, founder of ECMO Health Care Pvt Ltd, elaborated, “ECMO is a transformative technology that offers critically ill patients a fighting chance when their lungs and heart are failing. We are committed to ensuring this life-saving treatment is accessible across India, especially in rural and underserved areas. Our goal is to make ECMO both affordable and widely available to those in need.”
He also highlighted challenges faced by ECMO patients, such as awareness, timely initiation of treatment, high costs, and complications like bleeding. “We aim to address these challenges by providing our expertise directly to hospitals and managing ECMO care on-site, which is crucial for improving outcomes,” he added.
Saghir Siddiqui, regional chief operating officer at KMC Hospital Dr B R Ambedkar Circle, emphasized the significance of the partnership. “We are proud to collaborate with Dr Madhan's ECMO Health Care Pvt Ltd to bring this critical care technology to Mangaluru. This partnership between two healthcare giants brings quality healthcare and hope to critically ill patients.
"The service will significantly improve outcomes for patients in the region, reducing the need for long-distance transfers to other cities for life-support treatments. KMC Hospital's critical care unit is staffed by five full-time intensivists, ensuring round-the-clock monitoring of critical patients across medical ICU, cardiac ICU, neuro ICU, paediatric ICU, dialysis ICU, and transplant ICU.
"The unit adheres to world-class infection control protocols and is backed by state-of-the-art radiodiagnosis facilities and NABL-accredited laboratories for accurate testing and results. Adding ECMO services will further enhance the quality of healthcare and treatment outcomes for critically ill patients. This milestone achievement reinforces our commitment to providing advanced healthcare under one roof,” he concluded.
About Manipal Hospitals
Manipal Hospitals, a pioneer in healthcare, ranks among the top healthcare providers in India, serving over 7 million patients annually. The organization focuses on developing an affordable, high-quality healthcare framework across its multispecialty and tertiary care spectrum, extending to out-of-hospital care.
With the acquisition of Medica Synergie Hospitals and AMRI Hospitals Limited in September 2023, Manipal Hospitals now has a pan-India presence with 37 hospitals across 19 cities, 10,500+ beds, 5,600+ doctors, and over 18,600 employees.
Recognized for its comprehensive curative and preventive care, Manipal Hospitals is accredited by NABH and AAHRPP, with most of its hospitals being NABL, ER, and Blood Bank accredited. Renowned for its nursing excellence, Manipal Hospitals has been consistently acknowledged as the most respected and patient-recommended healthcare provider in India.