b'transforming Case studies, outcomes updates and dataTeamwork and technology save the life of a young motherLeft, DAndrea Penn pictured with her care team.Only about 10% of hospitals in the nation have ECMO. Moses Cone Hospital is one of them, thanks to the foresight of invasive cardiologist Daniel Bensimhon, MD, several colleagues and a group of community donors who raised more than $225,000 to support Cone Healths investment in the ECMO program.A chorus of cheersAfter two weeks, Penn started to improve as the team got and well wishes greeted DAndrea Penn as she exited Moses Cone Hospital after a harrowingher bleeding under control. After a month, Penn had stabi-two-month stay. Her care team and family keenly felt thelized. She spent another month rehabilitating in the hospital.poignancy of the moment, especially as Penn reunited with her young daughter after many long weeks apart. If not for ECMO, Penn would have likely died due to the time it would take to get her to another hospital with an ECMO It was a moment that seemed improbable in the wee hoursprogram. Today, Penn is one of six lives the program has of the morning on July 3, 2021. After being ejected from asaved in its first year at Cone Health.car into a building in a high-speed motor vehicle accident, Penn was admitted to the hospital with multiple life-threat- Quandra Kock, RN, was the ECMO specialist on duty when ening injuries: facial fractures, arm fractures, abdominalPenn was admitted to the hospital, and she assisted Dr. Van trauma. Her most severe injuries involved punctures andTrigt during the lifesaving procedure.bleeding in both lungs. Burke Thompson, MD, performed herI talked to the family to get a better understanding of Drea. initial surgeries. He and the operating room team were ableAs nurses, we take on that emotion with the family and the to stabilize Penns injuries, except for the pulmonary trauma. patient. Actually, we become family, she explains. Our We were really struggling, Dr. Thompson says. She had apatients are attached to our hearts for the rest of our lives. lot of blood coming out of her lungs, and we couldnt get herFrom a nursing standpoint, this is what we do, and it takes a oxygenated no matter what we did. The only thing I couldbig heart to step into that ICU world.think of was possibly trying ECMO.ECMO, or extracorporeal membrane oxygen- In 2019, a Heart and Vascular Volunteer Advisory Board member, ation, is an advanced form of life support. ItDana Smith, worked with the Cone Health Heart Failure team to involves a mini heart-and-lung machine thatunderstand what was needed to get an ECMO machine. Smith gave oxygenates the blood, allowing the organs togenerously and asked 20 other community members to join him. rest and recover and is a last resort for severeNow that ECMO machine is saving lives. Donors, volunteers and our cases of trauma and respiratory distress. team can make amazing things happen together.Dr. Thompson and Peter Van Trigt, MD, the cardiovascular surgeon on call, contacted theLearn more about Heart & Vascular giving ECMO team. Penn was a good candidate, and Visit conehealthphilanthropy.org or contact the teamDr. Van Trigt performed the surgery. at philanthropy@conehealth.com or 336.832.9452 Impact Report 20213'