In such cases, every minute counts: In the event of a cardiac arrest, the brain is deprived of sufficient oxygen after only a short time. Although emergency medical services and emergency physicians can partially maintain blood circulation through resuscitation, the chances of survival decrease significantly as the duration of resuscitation increases. Until now, this form of cardiopulmonary support could only be initiated after arrival at a hospital. In select cases, treatment will begin on-site in the future. This involves the use of ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). It temporarily takes over the functions of the heart and lungs by oxygenating the blood outside the body and then returning it to the bloodstream. This allows vital organs to continue receiving blood supply while the cause of the cardiac arrest is treated. If ECMO is connected while resuscitation is already underway, this is referred to as extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR). Studies show that the timing of the start of this therapy is critical for survival rates and neurological recovery. 

Not every resuscitation case is suitable for this procedure. The ECMO team at Helios HSK decides whether to initiate eCPR based on clearly defined medical criteria. The team consists of experienced intensive care physicians and is alerted alongside the emergency medical services using a specially equipped response vehicle. Factors taken into account include the suspected cause of the cardiac arrest, the patient’s age, the time elapsed until resuscitation began, and the treatment’s prospects for success.

The project was developed by the city of Wiesbaden and Helios HSK. During the pilot phase, the ECMO team is dispatched on weekdays during the day via the Wiesbaden Central Dispatch Center and works closely with emergency medical services personnel. 

For Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende, the pilot phase is an important step toward further developing emergency care in Wiesbaden: “The City of Wiesbaden is continuously investing in modern and efficient emergency care. With this pilot project, we are breaking new ground together with Helios HSK to open up additional treatment options for people in one of the most critical medical situations imaginable.” 

For Prof. Dr. Heinrich Groesdonk, Medical Managing Director and Chief Medical Officer of Helios HSK Wiesbaden, the significance of the project extends far beyond Wiesbaden: “The pilot phase is being scientifically monitored and continuously evaluated. Our goal is to gain reliable insights into how this care concept performs in practice. The findings can help further develop emergency care beyond Wiesbaden as well.” 

The focus is on saving time for patients. “With prehospital eCPR, we aim to save valuable time and thereby give selected patients an additional chance of survival with good neurological recovery. At the same time, we aim to gain reliable insights into how such a concept can be meaningfully and safely integrated into the public emergency medical services,” says Marc Dieroff, Medical Director of the Emergency Medical Services for the State Capital of Wiesbaden. 

For Dr. Moritz Unglaube, Director of the Department of Intensive Care and Intermediate Care at Helios HSK Wiesbaden, the project also demonstrates the potential inherent in close collaboration between the hospital and the emergency medical services: “ECMO is one of the most demanding procedures in intensive care medicine. Through close collaboration between the hospital and the emergency medical services, we are bringing this treatment directly to patients for the first time. The pilot phase will show what contribution this care concept can make to emergency care in the future.”