What Happens Next

Once Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) treatment has ended, patients stay on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) until they are well enough to be transferred.  They will be transferred to one of the wards within the University Hospitals of Leicester or back to their referring hospital.
 
The transition from leaving an environment with one-to-one nursing care (such as intensive care) to a ward with less staff can be a difficult time for patients and their relatives.  It is not uncommon to experience feelings of anxiety and concern and it can take time for the body to re-establish its normal activities of everyday living such as eating, sleeping and moving around.

Patients and relatives are encouraged to return to visit Intensive Care after ECMO treatment, as it can help them gain a better understanding of their period of hospitalisation and the illness that affected them.  The Glenfield Hospital ECMO service runs an optional follow-up clinic for patients and their significant others wishing to return.