Amrita Hospital, Kochi recently organized the first Paediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) training program in Kerala. The event, ECMOKIDSCON, was inaugurated by Dr. Prem Nair, Medical Director of Amrita Hospitals, at Amrita Hospital, Kochi.  

ECMO is a crucial intervention used in children with severe heart or lung diseases who have not responded to conventional treatments. While ECMO is widely utilized in developed countries, its application in India is limited due to resource constraints and lack of awareness. This training program aimed to educate emergency care professionals about the use of ECMO. 

Amrita Hospital, Kochi conducted the training in collaboration with the ECMO Society of India and Children's Heart   Link from the US. Expert doctors from countries such as the USA, Canada, the UK, Singapore, and various parts of India delivered lectures both online and in person. 

Participants in the training included doctors from the department of Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiac Anesthesia, Pediatric Pulmonary, and Critical Care. Around 120 doctors, perfusionists, and nurses involved in ECMO patient care received training. 

Additionally, a one-day workshop on Advanced Hemodynamic Monitoring and Management was held during the event. 

ECMOKIDSCON was led by Dr. Ravi Thiagarajan from Boston Children's Hospital, Dr. Brijesh PK, Head of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery and Dr. Sajith Keshavan, Head of Paediatric Pulmonary and Critical Care at Amrita Hospital, Kochi.