Michigan ECMO Team Bridges Sudden Heart Failure to Rapid Transplant

University of Michigan

Extracorporeal life support sustains patients facing acute organ failure by providing a mechanical bridge that buys critical time for emergency transplantation and full recovery.

AI-assisted summary of A Bridge to Survival: ECMO at the University of Michigan | Look to Michigan — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2026-09-18

Key ideas

The University of Michigan established the first ECMO center in the United States under Dr. Robert Bartlett, helping pioneer a life-support therapy that has saved over 100,000 lives globally since 1980. (1:02)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan Medicine rapidly scaled its high-acuity life support capacity, doubling its pre-pandemic peak from 7–8 concurrent ECMO circuits to 14 simultaneous patients. (2:22)
Extracorporeal life support served as a critical bridge for 44-year-old patient Rachel after sudden heart failure, sustaining circulation until a matching donor heart was secured within 24 hours of transplant listing. (3:51)
Translational ECMO research at Michigan is actively expanding beyond traditional intensive care into emerging frontiers such as fetal surgery, pediatric surgery, organ preservation, and cardiac resuscitation. (2:22)

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube by the University of Michigan on September 18, 2026, this video highlights Michigan Medicine's pioneering extracorporeal life support program through the story of a patient named Rachel. The description details how ECMO acted as a lifesaving bridge to a heart transplant after Rachel suffered sudden heart failure, showcasing an institution whose work has helped transform ECMO into a standard of care responsible for saving more than 100,000 lives worldwide.

## TL;DR When 44-year-old Rachel experienced sudden, catastrophic heart failure, Dr. Jonathan Haft and the team at Michigan Medicine placed her on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) to keep her alive while awaiting a heart transplant. The video details how ECMO mechanically replaces cardiac and pulmonary function, highlighting Michigan's legacy as the first U.S. ECMO center and the program's resilience during pandemic surges and cutting-edge translational research. Thanks to continuous around-the-clock bedside care, Rachel secured a matching donor heart on Thanksgiving Day just one day after being listed, eventually making a full recovery and returning to her active life.

## Atmosphere & style The presentation blends high-stakes clinical drama with profound personal warmth, moving from the sudden terror of acute heart failure to reflective gratitude. Thoughtful commentary from surgeons, researchers, and bedside specialists grounds the advanced biomedical technology in genuine empathy and institutional dedication. Watching the piece feels inspiring and emotionally uplifting, balancing the stark reality of critical organ failure with the life-affirming relief of a miraculous Thanksgiving match.

## Bulletin - [01:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=62s) The University of Michigan established the first ECMO center in the United States under Dr. Robert Bartlett, helping pioneer a life-support therapy that has saved over 100,000 lives globally since 1980. - [02:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=142s) During the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan Medicine rapidly scaled its high-acuity life support capacity, doubling its pre-pandemic peak from 7–8 concurrent ECMO circuits to 14 simultaneous patients. - [03:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=231s) Extracorporeal life support served as a critical bridge for 44-year-old patient Rachel after sudden heart failure, sustaining circulation until a matching donor heart was secured within 24 hours of transplant listing. - [02:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=142s) Translational ECMO research at Michigan is actively expanding beyond traditional intensive care into emerging frontiers such as fetal surgery, pediatric surgery, organ preservation, and cardiac resuscitation.

## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=0s) Sudden, catastrophic heart failure can strike healthy individuals with no prior cardiac history, requiring immediate mechanical circulatory support. - [01:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=62s) ECMO mechanically replaces heart and lung function by drawing deoxygenated venous blood from the body, clearing carbon dioxide, infusing oxygen, and pumping it back into circulation. - [01:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=62s) Despite the extreme complexity of human physiology, ECMO achieves critical life support through an elegantly simple foundation: a mechanical pump, an oxygenator, and specialized tubing. - [01:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=62s) The clinical scope of ECMO spans diverse demographics and conditions, including newborns with congenital heart defects, acute respiratory failure from viral infections, and post-cardiac surgery recovery. - [01:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=62s) Dr. Robert Bartlett's pioneering efforts established the University of Michigan as the nation's first ECMO center and transitioned the technology into a worldwide standard of care. - [01:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=62s) Duration of ECMO support is highly variable based on recovery needs, ranging from a matter of hours up to several months on an active circuit. - [02:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=142s) Managing double the typical circuit capacity during public health surges required Michigan's multidisciplinary team to innovate operational workflows while maintaining strict clinical standards. - [02:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=142s) Ongoing laboratory research led by Dr. Rojas-Peña focuses on improving circuit safety and pioneering extracorporeal support for organ transplantation, fetal interventions, and resuscitation. - [03:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=231s) ECMO served as an effective bridge-to-transplant for Rachel, maintaining full perfusion until a matching heart was secured on Thanksgiving Day just one day after listing. - [03:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=231s) Continuous, 24/7 bedside presence from multidisciplinary specialists provides essential physiological surveillance while establishing deep emotional connections with critically ill patients and their families. - [03:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=231s) Successful ECMO stabilization and subsequent heart transplantation can deliver complete functional recovery, enabling patients to return to vigorous physical activities like boating and bicycling.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=0s) A Sudden Crisis and an Urgent Diagnosis

Rachel reflects with profound gratitude on something most people take for granted: the simple act of breathing. At 44 years old, she was living an active, vibrant life, dedicating her time to her children and her local community. Suddenly, over the course of a single weekend, she developed severe shortness of breath unlike anything she had ever experienced. Having had no prior history of heart disease or major health complications, the realization that her heart was failing came as an utter shock.

A subsequent heart biopsy revealed a rare, acute, and life-threatening condition. The clinical reality was immediately stark. Her cardiac surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Haft, delivered the diagnosis and treatment plan without hesitation: her heart was failing, she needed an urgent heart transplant, and in order to survive long enough to receive one, the medical team had to take drastic measures by immediately placing her on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO).

[01:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=62s) The Mechanics and Legacy of ECMO at Michigan

ECMO serves as an advanced mechanical life-support system tailored for patients experiencing catastrophic failure of the heart, lungs, or both. Mechanically, the circuit withdraws deoxygenated blood from the patient's body, routes it through an external artificial membrane that oxygenates it and clears carbon dioxide, and pumps it directly back into circulation. As Dr. Haft observes, while human anatomy and physiology are profoundly complex, ECMO addresses critical failure by recreating cardiac and pulmonary function through an elegantly simple mechanical foundation: a pump, an oxygenator, and specialized tubing.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: ECMO Blood Oxygenation Circuit accDescr: Simple diagram showing how ECMO pulls deoxygenated blood from the body, routes it through an external pump and oxygenator, and returns it to the patient. A["Failing Heart/Lungs<br>(Venous Blood)"] --> B["Mechanical Pump"] B --> C["Membrane Oxygenator<br>(Gas Exchange)"] C --> D["Oxygenated Blood<br>(Returned to Body)"] ```

The clinical applications of ECMO span a wide spectrum of critical illness. As clinical specialist Samantha points out, ECMO is deployed for diverse emergencies: acute respiratory distress from illnesses like influenza, neonates born with complex congenital heart defects, and elderly post-operative patients struggling to recover after cardiac surgery. For Rachel, the system served as an indispensable mechanical bridge to keep her alive until a donor organ became available. The University of Michigan holds a foundational place in this therapy, standing as the very first ECMO center in the United States thanks to the pioneering work of faculty surgeon Dr. Robert Bartlett. The duration of therapy depends entirely on patient need: while some require support for only a few hours, others remain on circuits for months during extended recovery trajectories.

[02:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=142s) Rising to Surges and Expanding Research Horizons

Operating artificial life-support circuits demands relentless vigilance and technical adaptability, particularly during public health crises. Clinical specialist Steve notes that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Michigan typically managed a peak of seven or eight active ECMO circuits at any single time. During the pandemic, that clinical demand surged almost overnight to fourteen simultaneous circuits. The ECMO team had to devise innovative approaches to manage unprecedented capacity in an era of extreme patient need, relying on mutual teamwork to scale operations without compromising clinical standards.

Globally, ECMO technology has supported hundreds of thousands of patients, and research teams at Michigan continue working to make circuits both safer and broader in application. Dr. Rojas-Peña explains that the laboratory's core mission focuses on refining delivery methods and applying extracorporeal support to emergent fields, including pediatric surgery, fetal surgery, organ preservation and transplantation, and cardiac resuscitation. Operating artificial hearts and lungs carries an awesome clinical responsibility accompanied by immense stress, but staff view the ability to impact thousands of lives through translational research and bedside care as uniquely rewarding.

- Pre-pandemic operational capacity: 7 to 8 concurrent ECMO circuits at maximum. - Pandemic peak: Rose rapidly to 14 active circuits running simultaneously. - Emerging research frontiers: Pediatric surgery, fetal surgery, organ transplantation, and cardiac resuscitation.

[03:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=231s) A Thanksgiving Match and Reclaiming Life

Rachel’s critical timeline moved with extraordinary speed once she was placed on ECMO life support. On Wednesday, she was officially placed on the national organ transplant list. The very next day—Thanksgiving Day—a matching donor heart was located.

The care surrounding such high-acuity interventions relies heavily on bedside presence. Multidisciplinary teams of physicians, bedside nurses, perfusionists, and respiratory therapists maintain 24/7 monitoring. Rachel emphasizes that throughout her critical stay, she never felt treated as a detached medical case, but as a person who was genuinely cared for. Samantha explains that being present around the clock allows clinicians to build deep bonds of trust with families and share in their highest emotional highs, offering individuals who might otherwise not have lived until tomorrow the chance to grow old and lead full lives. By the following summer, Rachel had fully resumed her active lifestyle, returning to riding her bicycle and spending time on her boat, expressing boundless gratitude for her organ donor and Michigan Medicine's specialized ECMO and transplant teams.

- Listed for heart transplant: Wednesday. - Matching donor heart secured: Thursday (Thanksgiving Day). - Long-term outcome: Full return to physical activities, including boating and bicycling by the following summer.

## Notable quotes > [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=0s) breathing is something that most people take for granted, until suddenly you can't. — Rachel

> [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=0s) over the course of a weekend, I experienced severe shortness of breath unlike anything I had ever felt. — Rachel

> [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=0s) her heart was failing, she needed an urgent heart transplant, and in order to survive long enough to receive one, we had to place her on ECMO. — Dr. Jonathan Haft

> [01:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=62s) ECMO addresses critical failure by recreating cardiac and pulmonary function through an elegantly simple mechanical foundation: a pump, an oxygenator, and specialized tubing. — Dr. Jonathan Haft

> [01:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=62s) ECMO is deployed for diverse emergencies: acute respiratory distress from illnesses like influenza, neonates born with complex congenital heart defects, and elderly post-operative patients struggling to recover after cardiac surgery. — Samantha

> [02:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=142s) prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we typically managed a peak of seven or eight active ECMO circuits at any single time. — Steve

> [02:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=142s) during the pandemic, that clinical demand surged almost overnight to fourteen simultaneous circuits. — Steve

> [02:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=142s) our laboratory's core mission focuses on refining delivery methods and applying extracorporeal support to emergent fields, including pediatric surgery, fetal surgery, organ preservation and transplantation, and cardiac resuscitation. — Dr. Rojas-Peña

> [03:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=231s) throughout my stay, I never felt treated as a detached medical case, but as a person who was genuinely cared for. — Rachel

> [03:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM&t=231s) being present around the clock allows clinicians to build deep bonds of trust with families and share in their highest emotional highs, offering individuals who might otherwise not have lived until tomorrow the chance to grow old and lead full lives. — Samantha

## Mentioned Rachel, Dr. Jonathan Haft, ECMO, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, Samantha, Dr. Robert Bartlett, University of Michigan, Steve, COVID-19, Dr. Rojas-Peña, Michigan Medicine

## Video description After sudden heart failure, ECMO served as Rachel’s bridge to a lifesaving transplant.

At Michigan Medicine, decades of pioneering innovation in extracorporeal life support continue to give critically ill patients hope when every moment matters.

The University of Michigan's ECMO Program helped transform ECMO from an experimental therapy into a globally recognized standard of care. Since 1980, ECMO life support has helped save more than 100,000 lives worldwide.

For innovations in critical care, Look to Michigan.

Learn more: looktomichigan.umich.edu/stories/ecmo/

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSKGaOscM)

中文简报

密歇根ECMO团队为突发心衰患者搭建紧急移植桥梁体外生命支持通过提供机械桥接维持急性器官衰竭患者的生命，为紧急移植与全面康复争取关键时间。当44岁的Rachel突发灾难性心力衰竭时，Jonathan Haft医生与Michigan Medicine团队为她接入体外膜肺氧合（ECMO），以在等待心脏移植期间维持其生命。该视频详细介绍了ECMO如何在机械层面替代心肺功能，并重点展现了密歇根作为全美首个ECMO中心的深厚积淀，以及该项目在疫情高峰期间展现的韧性与前沿转化研究。得益于全天候不间断的床旁监护，Rachel在列入移植名单仅一天后的感恩节便获得了匹配的供体心脏，最终完全康复并重返正常生活。密歇根大学在Robert Bartlett医生的带领下建立了全美首个ECMO中心，协助开创了这项自1980年以来已在全球挽救逾10万条生命的生命支持疗法。 (1:02) 在COVID-19疫情期间，Michigan Medicine迅速提升了高危重症生命支持能力，将疫情前同时运行7至8套ECMO回路的峰值翻倍，达到可同时救治14名患者。 (2:22) 在44岁患者Rachel突发心衰后，体外生命支持起到了至关重要的桥接作用，维持其体内循环，直至她在列入移植名单后24小时内获得匹配的供体心脏。 (3:51) 密歇根大学的ECMO转化研究正积极从传统重症监护拓展至胎儿手术、小儿外科、器官保存及心脏复苏等新兴前沿领域。 (2:22)

Reading summary

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) provides vital mechanical life support for patients suffering catastrophic heart and lung failure, serving as an essential bridge to organ transplantation and long-term recovery. Mechanics and Breadth of Extracorporeal Support (1:02) ECMO replaces cardiopulmonary function by withdrawing deoxygenated blood from the body, channeling it through an external membrane oxygenator that clears carbon dioxide and infuses oxygen, and pumping it back into systemic circulation. Dr. Jonathan Haft observes that despite the complexity of human physiology, the system operates on a straightforward mechanical foundation of specialized tubing, an external pump, and an artificial membrane. Clinical Spectrum and Historical Legacy (1:02) The University of Michigan established the first ECMO center in the United States through pioneering work led by faculty surgeon Dr. Robert Bartlett. According to clinical specialist Samantha, the therapy addresses a broad range of critical emergencies, including severe respiratory distress from viral infections like influenza, neonates with complex congenital heart defects, and elderly individuals recovering from cardiac surgery. Depending on the underlying pathology, support duration varies from several hours to multiple months. Rapid Bridging to Urgent Organ Transplantation (0:00) For 44-year-old Rachel, ECMO acted as an immediate bridge after sudden, severe shortness of breath over a single weekend led to a diagnosis of acute heart failure with no prior cardiovascular history. Dr. Haft determined that survival required immediate ECMO placement followed by a heart transplant. Rachel was placed on the national organ transplant registry on a Wednesday, and a donor match was secured the following day, on Thanksgiving. Supported by continuous 24/7 multidisciplinary bedside monitoring, she achieved a full physical recovery, resuming boating and bicycling by the subsequent summer. Surge Capacity and Translational Research Horizons (2:22) Operational management requires high technical adaptability during public health crises. Clinical specialist Steve reports that while the University of Michigan maintained a maximum pre-pandemic capacity of seven to eight concurrent ECMO circuits, clinical demand doubled to 14 simultaneous circuits during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring teams to scale management protocols without lowering care standards. Simultaneously, laboratory research continues to refine circuit delivery and expand clinical indications. Dr. Rojas-Peña explains that ongoing investigations at Michigan are targeting applications in pediatric surgery, fetal surgery, organ preservation for transplantation, and cardiac resuscitation to broaden the safety and reach of extracorporeal technology. While ECMO remains a resource-intensive intervention requiring constant bedside oversight, its mechanical reliability serves as an indispensable bridge for acute organ failure, with ongoing research focused on extending its use to fetal interventions, resuscitation, and donor organ preservation.

Source quotes

[0:00] Rachel: breathing is something that most people take for granted, until suddenly you can't. [0:00] Rachel: over the course of a weekend, I experienced severe shortness of breath unlike anything I had ever felt. [0:00] Dr. Jonathan Haft: her heart was failing, she needed an urgent heart transplant, and in order to survive long enough to receive one, we had to place her on ECMO. [1:02] Dr. Jonathan Haft: ECMO addresses critical failure by recreating cardiac and pulmonary function through an elegantly simple mechanical foundation: a pump, an oxygenator, and specialized tubing. [1:02] Samantha: ECMO is deployed for diverse emergencies: acute respiratory distress from illnesses like influenza, neonates born with complex congenital heart defects, and elderly post-operative patients struggling to recover after cardiac surgery. [2:22] Steve: prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we typically managed a peak of seven or eight active ECMO circuits at any single time. [2:22] Steve: during the pandemic, that clinical demand surged almost overnight to fourteen simultaneous circuits. [2:22] Dr. Rojas-Peña: our laboratory's core mission focuses on refining delivery methods and applying extracorporeal support to emergent fields, including pediatric surgery, fetal surgery, organ preservation and transplantation, and cardiac resuscitation. [3:51] Rachel: throughout my stay, I never felt treated as a detached medical case, but as a person who was genuinely cared for. [3:51] Samantha: being present around the clock allows clinicians to build deep bonds of trust with families and share in their highest emotional highs, offering individuals who might otherwise not have lived until tomorrow the chance to grow old and lead full lives.

Original transcript

[0:00] I appreciate taking deep breaths. [0:17] It's because I can. [0:22] I was 44 at the time. [0:25] Actively involved in my community, doing a lot of things with my kids, [0:28] living a full life. [0:30] Over the course of a weekend, [0:32] I was short of breath in a way that I'd never experienced before. [0:35] I had no health issues, no heart issues, so to find out [0:38] there was something going on with my heart was a total shock. [0:46] The heart biopsy found that I had a very rare, [0:49] serious acute condition. Doctor Haft said, “You need a new heart." [0:53] "And we need to take drastic measures and put you on a system called ECMO.” [1:02] ECMO is Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. [1:05] It's a life support system that is designed to support people [1:09] who are suffering from catastrophic failure of the heart or lungs. [1:14] RACHEL: A system that takes the blood out of the body, oxygenates it, [1:18] and puts it back in the body. [1:20] SAMANTHA: When patients come to us and [1:21] need ECMO, it's usually to support their lungs or their heart. [1:25] Anywhere from unhealthy lungs from the flu, [1:28] babies who are born with congenital heart disease, or [1:31] your grandma who had heart surgery and just is having a hard time recovering. [1:35] RACHEL: ECMO was, [1:36] basically life support until a transplant could be found. [1:43] DR. HAFT: The human body is [1:44] so incredibly complex and wondrous. [1:50] We're trying to recreate [1:52] the heart and lungs using a very simple approach. [1:57] A pump, [1:58] an oxygenator, [2:00] and some tubing. [2:02] University of Michigan was actually [2:04] very first ECMO center [2:06] in the country, because of a [2:08] pioneer faculty at the University of Michigan, Dr. Robert Bartlett. [2:13] SAMANTHA: Some of our patients are on for just hours at a time. [2:16] Other patients have an [2:18] extended healing trajectory, and they'll be on for months at a time. [2:22] STEVE: Prior to Covid, the most circuits [2:24] that we'd had running at any particular one point in time was like 7 or 8. [2:27] And that jumped almost overnight during Covid to 14. [2:30] And we had to think of creative ways to, like, [2:32] provide that much ECMO in a time of extreme need. [2:36] But the team just keeps rising to the challenge. [2:39] They help each other without compromising the quality of the [2:42] ECMO that we're providing. [2:53] ECMO has [2:54] supported hundreds of thousands of patients around the world, [2:58] and the numbers continue to grow. [3:00] We are continuing to try [3:02] to find ways of making ECMO better and safer. [3:06] DR. ROJAS-PEÑA: The vision of the lab has always been [3:08] and continues to be how we can improve, [3:10] how we can deliver better care, how we can use the technology into other areas [3:16] such as pediatric surgery, fetal surgery, [3:19] organ transplantation, cardiac resuscitation. [3:24] They are the future. [3:26] You're benefiting not only one, you're benefiting thousands. [3:30] That's what, to me, [3:31] makes a big impact on the research that I'm doing. [3:37] STEVE: To have the responsibility [3:39] to operate artificial hearts and lungs [3:42] is an awesome responsibility that comes with, you know, a lot of stress, [3:46] but a lot of reward at the same time. [3:51] RACHEL: Wednesday, I was put on the transplant list. [3:54] And Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, [3:57] they found a match. [4:00] [sound of a deep breath and a heart beating] [4:02] DR. HAFT: Physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, [4:06] everybody is going above and beyond to try to make things [4:09] better for their patients. [4:11] The level of care and compassion -- [4:15] I have always felt like I'm not a case. [4:19] Like they care. [4:20] We're at the bedside 24/7. [4:23] They come to trust us. We get to know them. [4:25] And sometimes we experience some of the highest highs with them. [4:29] SAMANTHA: And being there to support them is very meaningful as a clinician. [4:32] I think it's totally incredible that we can offer patients who may never [4:36] have had an opportunity to see tomorrow an opportunity [4:40] to grow older, to live longer, to live more meaningful lives. [4:44] RACHEL: In the summertime, I was back on our boat, [4:46] I was riding my bike. [4:49] It's because of my donor that I'm here. [4:51] And I'm just grateful that we landed at Michigan: [4:54] a great transplant center, and a place that specializes in ECMO. [4:59] Michigan saved my life.