Save Lives, Don’t Drive — When to Call 911

For a half decade and counting, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital has used an advanced treatment called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to provide vital oxygen supply to people when it matters the most.

For the dedicated team members at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, their five-year ECMO anniversary marks more than a milestone. It means saving more lives.

ECMO in action

ECMO is a cutting-edge technology that has been vital in treating critically ill people — like Zac DiGiorgio — whose lungs are in peril and unable to function on their own.

Dr. Asif Saberi, Wellstar medical director of critical care & ECMO, shared how this state-of-the-art therapy works.

“ECMO is a way to provide air to the body when the lungs fail completely,” Dr. Saberi said. The innovative therapy helps removes carbon dioxide from the bloodstream using a machine when the lungs cannot on their own.

“During ECMO, blood is diverted from the body using plastic catheters — called cannulae — which are approximately the size of a garden hose,” Dr. Saberi explained.

“When the blood is redirected from the body, it is ‘cleaned’ of carbon dioxide which the lungs would have done naturally,” Dr. Saberi said.

After that, the re-oxygenated blood is recirculated through the system to supply life-saving oxygen to the body.

People who suffer traumatic injuries are not the only ones benefitting from the high-tech treatment. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, ECMO has also become instrumental in the fight against the virus.

ECMO & the COVID-19 pandemic

Recently, ECMO has been key in caring for COVID-19 patients with the most severe symptoms.

COVID-19 is a respiratory virus, and can affect the lungs and a person’s ability to breathe normally. In fact, the American Lung Association reported that the lungs are the first organ affected by the virus.

Symptoms like shortness of breath and difficulty breathing may appear suddenly and be severe. For the most critical cases, expanding access to ECMO can be a gamechanger.

“Our ability to provide one specific therapy, ECMO, for a significant number of young people in the extreme manifestation of the disease, is possibly the difference between life and death,” Dr. Saberi shared.

By offering ECMO right here in Georgia, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is helping to save lives and fight back against the virus. And, for us, five years is only the beginning.

To learn more about how our team is providing world-class care for the community, visit the Wellstar Kennestone Hospital page.

In Latoya Jordan’s world, “family comes first” is more than a mantra. It’s a way of life, as a wife and mother raising four fearless daughters.

While living in New York, Latoya learned how to be strong, determined and face challenges head-on — lessons she now instills in her own children. These traits proved useful when the Jordans resettled in the South at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But between the big move and preparing the girls for virtual school, Latoya found it difficult to squeeze in any ‘me time.’ Caring for her little ones often led to putting her own health last.

However, with two different heart conditions — a murmur and high blood pressure — the mother needed tailored care to live her fullest life.

With the help of Wellstar, Latoya got expert care to stay heart healthy, right in her new neighborhood. But beyond that, she found a trusted healthcare family that had her covered when it came to her well-being.

For a child, going to the hospital can be scary. That’s why Wellstar Douglas Hospital’s new $5.7 million Pediatric Emergency Department (ED) offers a kid-friendly and kid-sized experience for Douglas County’s youngest patients. The nautical-themed 7,600 square-foot facility provides specialized care for children from birth to 18 years of age.

The world-class “just-for-kids” facility has a separate entrance and waiting room from the main Emergency Department and is currently open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The ten treatment rooms feature child-sized furniture, equipment and supplies.

“We created an environment that is optimum for healing and that helps our youngest patients feel as comfortable as possible,” said Dr. Avril Beckford, chief pediatric officer, Wellstar Health System. “Children in Douglas deserve to see doctors and nurses who understand them. We also wanted to give parents a state-of-the-art facility staffed by pediatric physicians close to home – there is no need to travel long distances with a sick child now, because this specialized facility is right here, in the Douglas County community.”

A deeper dive into kid-friendly care

Staffed by kid-friendly nurses and skilled providers devoted to children, the new kids’ ED is a result of collaboration between the architect, construction firm and pediatric experts. Wellstar’s pediatric team cares for children at more than 114,000 emergency visits a year across Wellstar’s hospitals.

“From the outside, there are colorful floor-to-ceiling glass windows,” Dr. Beckford said, as she imagined a child’s first impression. “It feels almost like you’re walking into an aquarium.”

Inside the pediatric ED, children and their parents are greeted by warm staff members, soothing murals of ocean life, a large flat screen TV and child-sized furnishings.

To help children be seen and treated more quickly, some rooms will be dedicated to patients with less serious conditions – such as sore throats and sprains. There will also be a trauma bay and a dedicated room for adolescent gynecological concerns.