TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital and National Taiwan University Hospital are pioneering the use of portable extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) devices for patients suffering from cardiac arrest.
For severe cases that do not respond to CPR or multiple defibrillation attempts, ECMO can serve as a vital bridge, acting as a third lung to keep patients alive while life-saving surgery is performed.
Dr. Hsu Chan-yan (徐展陽), a leading cardiologist in this field, remains on call nearly 24 hours a day and even resides in the hospital dormitory to minimize response time, per CNA.
Over the past five years, he has saved more than 100 patients in cardiopulmonary arrest who were on the brink of death, allowing them to walk out of the hospital under their own power. During one surgery, he even received a painkiller injection to withstand his kidney stones and complete a coronary artery bypass operation.
Hsu emphasized that young and middle-aged cardiac arrest patients are often the backbone of their families. If they survive but are left comatose or severely disabled, it can create a heavy burden for their loved ones.
Hsu said he dreamed of becoming a doctor from a young age and trained overseas to refine his skills. He recalled an interview at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic in the US, where he was unexpectedly asked to don a surgical gown and assist in an operation.
Opportunities come to those who are prepared, he said, reflecting on the experience that allowed him to work alongside top doctors from around the world.
During his time in the US, Hsu was deeply impressed by the dedication of Cleveland Clinic staff, where workdays often stretched from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Residents and medical students worked even longer hours. After completing two years in the program, he returned to Taiwan, determined to bring that same level of service and care to his patients.
While in Cleveland, he frequently drove three hours to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to meet Robert H. Bartlett, the inventor of ECMO. Hsu sought to perfect ECMO deployment, reducing the time required for patients to regain consciousness and be discharged from the hospital.
Hsu's fastest deployment of ECMO was completed in just 16 minutes—from the initial report of a patient feeling unwell to their treatment in the emergency room. He credited paramedics for providing uninterrupted CPR during the ambulance ride and praised Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital for setting aside 26 square meters in the emergency room for portable ECMO equipment.
Despite his grueling schedule, Hsu finds fulfillment in many success stories. One involved a 40-year-old art teacher who collapsed while exercising in a park but made a full recovery. He also highlighted the essential role of nurses in ECMO patient care.
After five years of relentless effort, Hsu is proud of the many lives saved. However, he has also faced heartbreaking losses, such as a young father who did not survive after being taken off life support.
These experiences, both victories and tragedies, continue to drive Hsu's passion for ensuring every patient who enters his emergency room has the best possible chance of survival.
