Kyobanim
09-02-2011, 17:36
Hospital at forefront at saving soldiers
Link (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44376452/ns/world_news-europe/)
Just last year, a team of specialists from Landstuhl were able to save the life of a 22-year-old soldier shot in the lung. The organ was damaged so badly it had to be removed. They used a German-developed portable machine that oxygenates blood and takes carbon dioxide out through an intravenous connection, taking the place of the lung functions.
About the size of a suitcase, the portable ECMO machine — standing for "extracorporeal membrane oxygenation" — had never before been used in a combat evacuation but functioned perfectly. The Landstuhl team had the advantage of being trained on the machine by the nearby University of Regensburg Hospital doctors who helped develop it.
.."Generally that's a non-survivable injury, however we were able to get this portable ECMO device (to Afghanistan)," said Trauma Director Lt. Col. John Oh. "This device took over the function of his lung partially and he was able to be flown back, go to Landstuhl, and within weeks he actually recovered and was able to walk out of the hospital."
Link (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44376452/ns/world_news-europe/)
Just last year, a team of specialists from Landstuhl were able to save the life of a 22-year-old soldier shot in the lung. The organ was damaged so badly it had to be removed. They used a German-developed portable machine that oxygenates blood and takes carbon dioxide out through an intravenous connection, taking the place of the lung functions.
About the size of a suitcase, the portable ECMO machine — standing for "extracorporeal membrane oxygenation" — had never before been used in a combat evacuation but functioned perfectly. The Landstuhl team had the advantage of being trained on the machine by the nearby University of Regensburg Hospital doctors who helped develop it.
.."Generally that's a non-survivable injury, however we were able to get this portable ECMO device (to Afghanistan)," said Trauma Director Lt. Col. John Oh. "This device took over the function of his lung partially and he was able to be flown back, go to Landstuhl, and within weeks he actually recovered and was able to walk out of the hospital."