AHN Allegheny General Hospital reports strong health outcomes for patients who can stand, walk while receiving heart-lung bypass therapy

Pittsburgh Hospital Among Few in the Country to Implement Daily Mobilization and Exercise Regimens in Patients Supported by Extracorporeal Life Support

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation — a type of heart-lung bypass therapy — typically need extended bed rest, due to the severity of their illness and the invasive nature of the therapy itself. But a new program at AHN Allegheny General Hospital demonstrates that getting patients up and moving around while receiving ECMO support can dramatically improve health outcomes, leading to better survival rates and shorter hospital stays.

The AGH Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Patient Mobility program was launched by critical care and cardiovascular clinicians at Allegheny Health Network's flagship hospital in 2022. This program is designed to get patients upright, walking short distances or moving in some other capacity, so long as they are stable on a heart-lung bypass machine.

"ECMO patients are critically ill and have been historically immobile, factors that present significant challenges to their overall recovery and treatment," said Shan Modi, MD, cardiothoracic critical care physician and one of the program's lead physicians. "However, with this new focus on movement, and by carefully and safely increasing patient mobility while on bypass, we've observed notable improvements in recovery, reduced complications, and faster time to discharge."

When a patient is placed on ECMO, the bypass machine takes over the work of the heart and lungs to pump oxygenated blood throughout the body. The ECMO system is connected to the patient through plastic tubes (cannulas) placed in large veins and arteries — the blood is removed from the body, oxygenated through the machine, and then recirculated.

There are two types of ECMO, one designated primarily for cardiac support and the other for respiratory support, but in both cases the therapy is deployed for patients who have experienced critical adverse events such as cardiac arrest, severe heart failure, cardiogenic shock, respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia and lung transplantation.

While ECMO therapy can be lifesaving, there can be side effects — prolonged sedation and mechanical ventilation can impact recovery down the road, for example. Recent research suggests that early ambulation of ECMO patients can preserve and improve physical function.

In 2024, critical care teams at AGH mobilized 43 patients while on cardiac or respiratory ECMO support. Of those mobilized:

• 19 (44.2%) were able to be discharged to home directly from the hospital and nine to an inpatient rehab facility (20.9%) for further treatment.
• Of the 35 survivors, 23 recovered native heart or lung function, six were bridged to a durable LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device), and six were bridged to transplant.
• The mortality rate for patients who participated in the ECMO mobility initiative was 18.5%, while national mortality rates for ECMO patients have been reported to be approximately 50%.

"We were able to mobilize roughly half of all patients on ECMO at AGH last year, which we estimate to be more than most medical centers around the world," said Tyler VanDyck, MD, Director of ECMO and Cardiothoracic Surgical ICU at AGH. "It has been truly remarkable to see how beneficial mobility has been in overall recovery for these patients and it's a tremendous team effort to make this all possible."

The program utilizes a multidisciplinary care team that includes cardiologists, critical care physicians, cardiac surgeons, advanced practice providers, ECMO specialist nurses, cardiovascular perfusionists, cardiothoracic rehabilitation therapists, and clinical exercise physiologists.

"The key to success in this effort is to start small when the patient has proven to be stable on bypass," said Ilija Klipa, exercise physiologist with AHN and one of the clinical leads of the program. "From there, some patients are able to walk on a treadmill while still on bypass. What we've seen our ECMO patients be able to do is a testament to how resilient the human body can be."

Today's announcement builds upon AHN's reputation for innovation in ECMO care. In September 2024, the AHN Allegheny General partnered with the City of Pittsburgh Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and other local EMS agencies to launch a new resuscitation program for patients who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

The program, known as extracorporeal CPR (ECPR), employs a heart and lung bypass team at the AHN AGH emergency department around the clock, allowing critically ill patients to be hooked up to bypass as soon as they arrive at the hospital.  

The method, which has been piloted in other institutions across the country, has been considered a game-changer in the field. As the bypass machine pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body, strain is taken off the heart and lungs and gives physicians more time to prepare the underlying cardiac condition. Some research has shown that when ECPR is administered within 30 minutes of collapse, there is a nearly 100% chance of reviving patients.

"Recent advancements in ECMO technology are truly transformative," said Karthik Ranganathan, MD, interventional/heart failure cardiologist and Director of Cardiogenic Shock for AHN. "What was once considered a last resort for critically ill patients has evolved into a powerful restorative tool, aiding in physical recovery and returning patients to their families and their lives."

In 2024, The Pittsburgh Foundation also provided additional funding to AHN Allegheny General Hospital to further research patient outcomes in ECMO mobilization and improve technology in the unit by providing specialized exercise equipment.

About Allegheny Health Network: 
Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org), is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, multiple employed physician organizations, home and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women's health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. AHN employs approximately 23,000 people, has more than 2,500 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

SOURCE Allegheny Health Network