Since Laurence Koelmeyer’s remarkable survival due to the advent of New Zealand’s first ECMO machine in 1993, more than 500 New Zealanders have been cared for at the specialised ECMO Centre at Auckland Hospital.
The centre is run by a specialised team and operates eight heart lung by-pass machines for patients with acute organ failure.
Around 25 patients from around the country are treated each year. All the patients are connected to a portable ECMO machine and flown to Auckland by a specialist retrieval team. There is detailed discussion between the specialists in Auckland and hospitals around the country as to the suitability of patients for the challenges of undergoing the bypass procedure.
“The value of doing these things in elderly people is a lot less because it’s a big intervention and most people struggle to get through the time in Intensive Care and the effect it has on their bodies,” said Dr Andrew McKee, service clinical director at Auckland Hospital.
"So generally, the outcomes are better in people who are younger and fitter going into it, or people who haven’t got chronic disease or some other problem that's going to shorten their life."
Amy Woolllams was airlifted to Auckland Hospital for heart and lung bypass treatment after respiratory failure following surgery.
The mother-of-five from the Bay of Plenty spent 10 days in Auckland on an ECMO machine and said the recovery was painful and difficult.
"I really felt like I was never going to walk again," Amy said. “It hurts. Every part of your body in excruciating pain."
But she was determined and said being able to walk again after three months of recovery gave her "a new whole level of gratitude" to those who helped her.
Amy’s husband John Moeke is proud his wife is doing so well, one year on from being so unwell.
And Amy has a message for those at Auckland’s ECMO Centre who kept her alive and helped her recover.
"How they cared for me was unbelievable, it's a lifesaving opportunity for anybody," Amy said.
"We're so lucky to have [the ECMO team] in New Zealand. I'll forever hold a special spot for all of you. You're angels."
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