Pioneering the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Therapy for Heart and Lung Patients in Pakistan for the First Time

Once again CardiacEye International Foundation is proud to announce the start of the very first and only Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) service in Pakistan. CardiacEye International Foundation envisages to cover a wide region for heart and lung patients who need such treatment. This will be a marker of success in line with USA and very few European countries who can provide this treatment. Professor Dr Maqsood Elahi (Founder and Chairman) will be leading this service.

ECMO is a technique that oxygenates blood outside the body. It can be used in potentially reversible severe respiratory failure when conventional ventilation is unable to oxygenate the blood adequately. The aim of ECMO in respiratory failure is to allow the injured lung to recover whilst avoiding certain recognised complications associated with conventional ventilation. It is high risk and is therefore only used as a matter of last resort in difficult cases. The procedure involves removing blood from the patient, taking steps to avoid clots forming in the blood, adding oxygen to the blood and pumping it artificially to support the lungs.

Dr Elahi earned B.Sc. (Honors), M.B.B.S. and M.M.Sc. (M.D. in Surgery) degrees from the University of Glasgow, and a Ph.D. degree from the University of Southampton, all in the United Kingdom. Thereafter, I have trained and worked in adult and pediatric cardiothoracic surgery in the UK, Australia and the USA. He has served as Assistant Professor at the Texas A & M Health Science Center with cardiothoracic surgery practice at the Scott and White Healthcare System, both in Temple, TX. In addition to being a cardiothoracic surgeon, I am also very interested in basic, translational and clinical research, and in bringing the cutting-edge biomedical research findings from the bench to the bedside. My work in basic and clinical work has culminated in over 120 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals of repute, and I have co-edited five books in the area of oxidative stress, mostly due to external environmental stress factors including high fat diets and tobacco smoking. Dr Elahi is the founder and chairman of CardiacEye International Foundation and brings expertise and skill in general adult cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery, complex congenital / pediatric cardiac surgery, surgery for aortic diseases, CCRT placements, MICS aortic and mitral valve, offpump CABGs, mechanical circulatory support (LVADs, RVADs,) HTx and Lung transplant. Given the opportunity, I can bring administrative experience in setting up the department with vision based target and timeline, conduct all sort of cardiac, thoracic, pediatric surgeries, MICS and heart/ lung and VAD surgeries for heart failure, set up a lab and conduct both clinical and basic science research, teaching and training students and residents.