ECMO discussion with ECMOlogist Dr. Giles Peek

03/20/25 • 45 min

Join me on this special episode as we are featuring the legendary Dr. Giles Peek who is an ECMOlogist and Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at UF Shands Children's Hospital Congenital Heart Center at UF HEALTH in Gainesville, FL. He is also an active member of ELSO (Extracorporeal Life Support Organization) since 1994. He has published numerous research papers on ECMO and is an amazing person to talk to.

What is ECMO:

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving medical technology that provides temporary support for the heart and/or lungs when they are unable to function adequately.
How ECMO Works:

A machine pumps blood from the body through an artificial lung (oxygenator).
The oxygenator removes carbon dioxide and adds oxygen to the blood.
The oxygenated blood is then returned to the body.
When ECMO Is Used:
ECMO is typically used in cases of severe heart or lung failure, such as:
Heart attack, Respiratory failure, Lung transplant complications, and Severe pneumonia.
Benefits of ECMO:
Provides temporary support for the heart and/or lungs. Allows the organs to rest and recover. Gives the body time to heal

For more information about ELSO, please refer to their website:

https://www.elso.org/

To contact Dr. Giles Peek via email for questions, see email: [email protected]

https://ufhealth.org/doctors/giles-j-peek

This episode was sponsored by ECMO Advantage. Please see their website for details. https://ecmoadvantage.com/
This episode was also sponsored by Vigilant Software. Please see their website for details: https://vigilantsoftware.io/
If you would like to contact me with any comments or questions, please email me directly at: [email protected]

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Send us a text

What is ECMO:

A machine pumps blood from the body through an artificial lung (oxygenator).
The oxygenator removes carbon dioxide and adds oxygen to the blood.
The oxygenated blood is then returned to the body.
When ECMO Is Used:
ECMO is typically used in cases of severe heart or lung failure, such as:
Heart attack, Respiratory failure, Lung transplant complications, and Severe pneumonia.
Benefits of ECMO:
Provides temporary support for the heart and/or lungs. Allows the organs to rest and recover. Gives the body time to heal

For more information about ELSO, please refer to their website:

https://www.elso.org/

To contact Dr. Giles Peek via email for questions, see email: [email protected]

https://ufhealth.org/doctors/giles-j-peek

Support the show

Previous Episode

Discussion on Aortic Dissection with a "Hybrid" Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Dr. Niranjan Hiremath

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Join me on my podcast as I feature Dr. Niranjan Hiremath who is "Hybrid" Cardiac Surgeon and adjunct Professor and Senior Consultant of the Cardiovascular and Aortic Program and Surgical lead- of the Apollo Aortic Program in Delhi, India. He discusses his unique journey growing up in Bangalore, India and who inspired him to become a Heart Surgeon! He also discusses what a "Hybrid Cardiac Surgeon is and discusses the latest in both surgical repair and endo-vascular therapies (TEVAR) for Aortic Dissection.

Aortic dissection is a life-threatening medical condition where the inner layer of the aorta, the main artery in the body, tears. This tear allows blood to flow between the layers of the aortic wall, creating a new channel called a "false lumen".

Causes of Aortic Dissection:

High blood pressure, Aortic aneurysm (weakening of the aortic wall), Trauma, Connective tissue disorders, and Certain medications.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is a minimally invasive procedure that treats aortic dissection and aneurysms in the chest. TEVAR is a preferred treatment over open surgery because it has a shorter recovery time, lower risk of complications, and better patient outcomes.

Apollo Heart Hospital is the best heart hospital in Delhi and one of the top 6 cardiac institutes in the world. For more information about the Apollo Heart program in Delhi, please refer to their website:

https://www.apollohospitals.com/delhi/heart/
This episode was sponsored by Primal-Steak. Please see their website for details.
https://primal-steak.com
If you would like to contact me with any comments or questions, please email me directly at: [email protected]

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Next Episode

Minimally invasive surgical training in Rwanda with IRCAD Africa

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This is a very special episode as we are featuring Guillaume Marescaux who is Vice President of IRCAD Africa and Dr. Michelle Smith who is the acting CEO of IRCAD Africa based in Kigali City, Rwanda. IRCAD is revolutionizing minimally invasive surgery training for African surgeons! "IRCAD (Research Institute against Digestive Cancer) was founded in 1994 in Strasbourg, France by Prof. Jacques Marescaux a surgeon fascinated by technology. IRCAD has since become a world leader in advancing and teaching minimally invasive surgery." Its mission is to train African surgeons in advanced surgical techniques and to advance research in minimally invasive surgery, including through the Disrumpere project, which utilizes artificial intelligence to improve diagnostic and surgical capabilities. Since its inception, IRCAD Africa has trained over 400 surgeons from 27 African countries, significantly enhancing surgical standards across the continent.

For more information on IRCAD, please see website below.
Here is their link
https://www.ircad.space/

This episode was sponsored by Primal-Steak. Please see their website for details: https://primal-steak.com
If you would like to contact me with any comments or questions, please email me directly at: [email protected]

Support the show