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arrow_back Conditions & Treatments

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

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menu Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
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Pumping your blood through artificial lungs let your heart rest

Expert Heart & Vascular Care

Getting the care you need starts with seeing one of our heart or vascular specialists.

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If you heart is failing  or you have recently undergone heart surgery, your heart may need time to rest or recover. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, pumps your blood through a machine so your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. We also may recommend ECMO to prepare your heart for an assist device, such as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).

Our Cardiac Surgery Program is one of the highest-volume cardiac surgery centers in the region. These surgeons’ experience helps them determine best practices to refine surgical techniques and improve patient care. Patients who need ECMO often are critically ill, and our surgeons work with other teams such as palliative care or heart failure doctors to treat their complex and unique conditions.

What to expect from ECMO

ECMO often is used for patients who already have been admitted to the hospital. The procedure to connect you to the ECMO machine will be performed in your hospital room. You will be sedated and given medications to reduce pain and prevent blood clots.

The ECMO machine is connected to you using thin, flexible tubes called catheters that are inserted into an artery and a vein. If you also are placed on a ventilator to relieve stress on your lungs, you will be sedated and likely have a feeding tube inserted for nutrition.

Advanced Heart Failure Program

Partner with leaders in the field to manage and treat your heart failure and help you maximize your quality of life.

Learn More

Tests

Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive way to diagnose and treat a variety of heart and vascular conditions by guiding thin, flexible tubes called catheters through blood vessels to problem areas.

Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)

Transesophageal echocardiogram allows us to take very detailed images of your heart structure from a probe in your esophagus.

Physicians

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23 Doctors & Specialists
Dr. Hiroto Kitahara, MD
Dr. Hiroto Kitahara, MD
Cardiac Surgery
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
202-877-7464
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Dr. Seife Yohannes, MD
Dr. Seife Yohannes, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B42 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Akram M. Zaaqoq, MD
Dr. Akram M. Zaaqoq, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B42 Washington, DC 20010
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Dr. Ammar S. Bafi, MD
Dr. Ammar S. Bafi, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Cardiac Surgery
(199)
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
202-877-7464
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Dr. Ricardo Orlando Quarrie, MD, MS
Dr. Ricardo Orlando Quarrie, MD, MS
Cardiac Surgery
3333 North Calvert Street Johnston Professional Building Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 554-6550
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Dr. Ezequiel J. Molina, MD
Dr. Ezequiel J. Molina, MD
Cardiac Surgery
(133)
1830 SUITE 405 Reston, VA 20190
(202) 877-7464
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Dr. Brian Thomas Bethea, MD
Dr. Brian Thomas Bethea, MD
Cardiac Surgery
3333 North Calvert Street Johnston Professional Building Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 554-6550
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Dr. Michael Fiocco, MD
Dr. Michael Fiocco, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Cardiac Surgery
(158)
3333 North Calvert Street Johnston Professional Building Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 554-6550
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Dr. Jeffrey E. Cohen, MD
Dr. Jeffrey E. Cohen, MD
Cardiac Surgery
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
202-877-7464
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Dr. Alena Lira, MD
Dr. Alena Lira, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B42 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Arthur C. St. Andre, MD
Dr. Arthur C. St. Andre, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B42 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Brian George Lee, MD
Dr. Brian George Lee, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B42 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Alexandra Kristina Pratt, MD
Dr. Alexandra Kristina Pratt, MD
Critical Care Medicine
110 Irving Street Northwest Room 4B-42 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Kevin Grant Handy, MD
Dr. Kevin Grant Handy, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B42 Washington, DC 20010
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Dr. Michael J. Hockstein, MD
Dr. Michael J. Hockstein, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B42 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Benjamin B. Kenigsberg, MD
Dr. Benjamin B. Kenigsberg, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Room 4B-1 Washington, DC 20010
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Dr. Jennifer Yu, MD
Dr. Jennifer Yu, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B42 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Christian Charles Shults, MD
Dr. Christian Charles Shults, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Cardiac Surgery
(248)
1830 SUITE 405 Reston, VA 20190
(202) 877-7464
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Dr. Stephen M. Luczycki, MD
Dr. Stephen M. Luczycki, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B42 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Nimesh Satish Shah, MD
Dr. Nimesh Satish Shah, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Room 4B Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Pamela M. Paufler, MD
Dr. Pamela M. Paufler, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite 4B42 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Chadi Tanios Abouassaly, MD
Dr. Chadi Tanios Abouassaly, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
110 Irving Street Northwest Room 4B39 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7259
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Dr. Alexander I. Papolos, MD
Dr. Alexander I. Papolos, MD
Cardiac Critical Care
(202) 877-7259
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Locations

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2 locations found
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
201 East University Parkway Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 554-2266
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MedStar Washington Hospital Center
110 Irving Street Northwest Washington, DC 20010
202-877-7464
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