ECMO program at Texas Health Dallas helps preschool teachers

Dallas, Texas, Oct. 2, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Linda Potthoff woke up with severe breathing problems. She urged her husband to call for medical help just in case. This is her last memory before she wakes up in a hospital room. Thanks to emergency treatment at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Potthoff survived a pulmonary embolism – the third leading cause of cardiovascular death in the United States

“I still remember the morning of June 4,” she said. “I lay in bed and thought it would just pass. Well, it would be over – and so would I – if my husband hadn’t called 911.”

How a life-changing day unfolded

Two pulmonary arteries perform a vital function in the body, transporting blood between the heart and lungs. However, when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the lungs, a pulmonary embolism occurs. In addition to shortness of breath, symptoms range from coughing and chest pain to swelling in the legs. Sometimes it can be fatal, said Richard Kim, MD, a pulmonologist on the medical staff at Texas Health Dallas. He also serves as associate medical director for the ECMO program.

Potthoff's 18-day treatment at Texas Health Dallas included emergency cardiac surgery and extensive treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy (ECMO), an artificial heart and lung machine that works outside the patient's body to pump blood.

Paramedics drove Potthoff to Texas Health Dallas, less than 10 miles from her home – and the care team Dr. Heather Owen, an emergency physician on the Texas Health Dallas medical staff, was awaiting their arrival.

For more than 40 minutes, they performed emergency CPR to restore Potthoff's heartbeat and save her life. Her patient journey was far from over.

After extensive tests, including an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to create images of the heart and arteries, and a CT scan, which creates images to detect illness and injury, the care team determined that Potthoff had a clot, that blocked blood flow affecting both lungs, which is known as a saddle pulmonary embolism.

Saddle pulmonary embolism is considered life-threatening and rare – accounting for less than 6% of all acute cases – and can result in sudden death without medical treatment.

“Ms. Potthoff was not receiving critical blood flow and her heart and lungs were failing,” Kim said. “The care team concluded that ECMO was the best approach to repair and prevent further damage to her organs.”

Receive specialized emergency care

For eight days, Potthoff received ECMO therapy, giving her lungs and heart time to recover and giving the care team the time needed to clear her blockage, said Andres Leal, MD, a Texas cardiothoracic surgeon Health Physicians Group* on the Texas Health Dallas Medical Staff. According to Leal, who serves as associate medical director of the ECMO program, a small incision was made through her femoral artery to remove the clot, a procedure known as a transvenous pulmonary embolectomy.

“Their success story underscores the importance of an ECMO program and the importance of immediate response to critical patients in need,” Leal said.

Emergency physician Sarah Way, MD, JD, agrees. She also serves as Chief Quality and Medical Officer for Texas Health Dallas.

“Our ECMO program is a shining example of how Texas Health Dallas is committed to mastering and delivering advanced medical therapies to enable our patients to overcome life-threatening illnesses and return to their lives, their families and our communities.”

Enjoy life again

A healthy lifestyle and consistent exercise also played an important role in Potthoff's survival story.

Now that she is in her late 70s, she remains active, taking daily walks, spending time with her grandchildren and teaching her preschoolers.

“Positivity is a huge factor in your health,” Potthoff said. “I had to deal with a life-threatening situation and am grateful to know that the people around me at Texas Health Dallas were incredibly well trained and responded calmly and quickly to my needs.”

Click here to learn more about Texas Health Dallas' services.

*Physicians employed by Texas Health Physicians Group practice independently and are not employees or representatives of Texas Health Resources hospitals.

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For additional images please contact Chandra Caradine.

About Texas Health Resources: 

Texas Health Resources is a faith-based, nonprofit health system that serves more patients in North Texas than any other provider. With a service area consisting of 16 counties and more than 7 million people, the system is committed to providing high-quality, coordinated care through its Texas Health Physicians Group and 29 hospital locations under the banners of Texas Health Presbyterian, Texas Health Arlington Memorial, Texas Providing care Health Harris Methodist and Texas Health Huguley. Texas Health's access points and services, ranging from acute care hospitals and trauma centers to outpatient facilities and home health and preventive services, provide the full continuum of care for all stages of life. The system has more than 4,100 licensed hospital beds, 6,400 physicians with active staff privileges and nearly 29,000 employees. For more information about Texas Health, call 1-877-THR-WELL or visitwww.TexasHealth.org.