Heart-lung bypass a COVID-19 rescue tool in Minnesota

May 04, 20210

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HCMC patient John Grubb said goodbye to some of his HCMC caregivers before his discharge Monday after 81 days.

John Grubb was something of a celebrity when he left HCMC on Monday - crowds gathered for pictures at his bedside and nurses hugged the St. Michael, Minn., man and said goodbye.

When severe COVID-19 leaves you on a heart-lung bypass machine for 81 days, and you make it out of the hospital alive, you tend to get noticed.

"That's the longest we've had a survivor on veno-venous ECMO so far," said Dr. Matthew Prekker, a medical director of HCMC's ECMO program, who treated Grubb. "He's had the longest duration of support and fortunately is going to be a survivor."

https://www.startribune.com/heart-lung-bypass-a-covid-19-rescue-tool-in-minnesota/600053199/?refresh=true