Bristol ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) centre
Our centre
Our centre
Bristol is one of six centrally-funded ECMO centres in England.
The type of ECMO provided in Bristol, known as veno-venous (VV) ECMO, is used when a patient has a critical respiratory condition which prevents the lungs from functioning normally. VVECMO is a supportive measure that uses an artificial lung (membrane) located outside the body (extra corporeal) that puts oxygen into the blood (oxygenation) and returns it to the body.
In Bristol, the service is provided in a joint partnership between North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW). The development of the Bristol ECMO service is supported by the existing ECMO centres at St Thomas' Hospital and the Royal Brompton Hospital.
Our services
As of November 2022, the Bristol ECMO service has provided ECMO support for patients in the local Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucester area. During October 2023, the Bristol ECMO service will be working alongside the Royal Brompton Hospital to provide a 24/7 retrieval service for the South West of England.
For more information about VVECMO please download our patient leaflet:
The service is delivered on the intensive care unit on the Bristol Royal Infirmary site. For more information about this unit please download the patient leaflets from the UHBW website below:
For information about travelling to and from the Bristol Royal Infirmary, including details about the Bristol Clean Air Zone, please view the travel information on the UHBW website.
Our ECMO leadership team
- Dr Stefan Gurney, Bristol ECMO Clinical Lead
- Kathryn Pollock and Carly Smith, Senior ECMO Nurse Specialists
- David Machin, ECMO Lead Perfusionist
- Tom Lunn, ECMO Lead Physiotherapist
- Ya-Hui Liang, ECMO Lead Pharmacist
Other specialties that we work with:
- Radiology
- Respiratory
- Rheumatology
- Microbiology