Hannah’s Temporary Lung: University Hospital Erlangen
- ERLANGEN, Germany (AP) — A 3-year-old girl, Hannah, was saved from severe lung failure thanks to a specialized treatment and rapid transport by a team from University Hospital...
- With no treatment options available in Chemnitz, Hannah's last hope was extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, a procedure that oxygenates the blood outside the body.
- "I saw the X-ray of her lungs,and I knew," said Laura C., Hannah's mother.
erlangen Hospital Saves Child with ECMO Treatment After Severe Flu
Table of Contents
- erlangen Hospital Saves Child with ECMO Treatment After Severe Flu
- How University Hospital Erlangen Saved a Child with ECMO After Severe Flu
- What happened to Hannah?
- What is ECMO and why was it needed?
- Why couldn’t Hannah be treated in Chemnitz?
- How did University Hospital Erlangen get involved?
- Who were the key individuals involved in Hannah’s rescue?
- How far did the team travel to help Hannah?
- What are the complexities of ECMO treatment in children?
- How does veno-venous ECMO work?
- What is the University Hospital Erlangen’s new intensive care transport service?
- Why is specialized pediatric ECMO expertise critically important?
- What was Hannah’s recovery like?
- What is the prognosis for Hannah?
- Were can I find more facts?
- Key Takeaways from Hannah’s Case
ERLANGEN, Germany (AP) — A 3-year-old girl, Hannah, was saved from severe lung failure thanks to a specialized treatment and rapid transport by a team from University Hospital Erlangen in February. Hannah, initially treated for a minor abscess at a Chemnitz clinic, developed severe influenza symptoms leading to critical lung failure.
ECMO: Hannah’s Last Hope
With no treatment options available in Chemnitz, Hannah’s last hope was extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, a procedure that oxygenates the blood outside the body. A team from University Hospital Erlangen traveled to Saxony to connect Hannah to the ECMO machine and transport her to their facility for continued care.
“I saw the X-ray of her lungs,and I knew,” said Laura C., Hannah’s mother. “The doctor only said, ‘I’m sorry.'”
Laura C. recounted the harrowing experiance. “In the beginning, I thought she was being ventilated for two days so that the lungs could recover. but then there was worse news every day.”
Dr. Heiko Reutter, head of neonatology and pediatric intensive care medicine at University hospital erlangen, noted the severity of the recent flu season. “In the Erlangen children’s clinic, we have never treated as many children with influenza as in the flu season 2024/2025, sometimes also in the intensive care unit.”
Race Against Time
Saving Hannah required immediate action. “Several clinics across Germany were called,” Hannah’s mother recalled. “Erlangen immediately said that they would get them.”
Reutter,along with children’s heart surgeon Dr. Ehab Nooh, perfusionist Nicola Kwapil, and nurse Eva Schatz, embarked on the nearly 155-mile journey to Chemnitz. “It was clear to me that if something does not happen quickly, Hannah won’t survive,” Laura C. said. “As Professor Reutter and the team were finally there, I knew: Now she is in good hands.”
The Challenge of ECMO in children
Veno-venous ECMO supports lung function outside the body in cases of severe lung failure, pneumonia, or sepsis. The process involves diverting oxygen-poor blood from the body, oxygenating it in the ECMO system, and returning it to the body.
Reutter explained the complexities of the procedure in young patients. “In children, all anatomical structures, such as the veins, are much smaller. Therefore, you have to look exactly with ultrasound that the cannula of the ECMO is really correct.”
Kwapil selected the appropriate oxygenator for Hannah, bringing a child-friendly, mobile transport set to Chemnitz.”Because children have a higher risk of thrombosis, the doctors and I always keep an eye on blood clotting and use blood-thinning medication,” Kwapil said.
New Intensive Transport Service
Due to the successful transport of Hannah, University Hospital Erlangen is now offering intensive care transport services for children with severe respiratory failure.
“As we have picked up Hannah by intensive care car, we will do so in the future for all children who suffer serious respiratory failure and can no longer be ventilated,” said Dr. Oliver Dewald, director of heart surgery at the hospital. “Our four-person ECMO team is aimed primarily at clinics in southern and central Germany.They can register their patients with us.”
Dewald emphasized the importance of specialized expertise in pediatric ECMO. “We have been doing this for a long time for adults, the procedure is still quite new for children – and rarely nationwide. It is all the more vital that we offer it.”
Hannah required intensive oxygen therapy after being weaned off ECMO and ventilation. “She had to learn to breathe again,” Laura C. said. Reutter is optimistic about hannah’s recovery: “Children have uncanny regeneration skills, and we assume that Hannah will survive all of this unscathed.”
Laura C. expressed her gratitude, stating, “To hear that is good for it again and again. Still, we will work with the family again for the past few weeks, also professionally. That leaves its mark.”
Contact Information
For further information, contact:
Dr. Heiko Reutter
09131 85-41360
heiko.reutter@uk-erlangen.de
How University Hospital Erlangen Saved a Child with ECMO After Severe Flu
This article explores the story of Hannah, a 3-year-old girl who was saved from severe lung failure using ECMO treatment and rapid transport by University Hospital Erlangen. We’ll delve into the details of her case, the challenges faced, and the hospital’s new intensive care transport service.
What happened to Hannah?
Hannah, a 3-year-old girl, developed severe influenza symptoms that led to critical lung failure. Initially treated for a minor abscess at a clinic in Chemnitz, her condition quickly deteriorated.
What is ECMO and why was it needed?
ECMO, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, was Hannah’s last hope. The procedure oxygenates the blood outside the body when a patient’s lungs are failing.This allows the lungs to rest and recover.
Why couldn’t Hannah be treated in Chemnitz?
There were no treatment options available in Chemnitz for Hannah’s critical lung failure. ECMO was not available at the Chemnitz clinic.
How did University Hospital Erlangen get involved?
When Hannah’s condition worsened,the Chemnitz clinic reached out to several hospitals.University Hospital Erlangen instantly agreed to help. A team traveled from Erlangen to Chemnitz to connect Hannah to the ECMO machine and transport her for further care.
Who were the key individuals involved in Hannah’s rescue?
Key individuals involved included:
Dr. Heiko Reutter: Head of neonatology and pediatric intensive care medicine at University Hospital Erlangen.
Dr.Ehab Nooh: Children’s heart surgeon.
Nicola Kwapil: Perfusionist.
Eva Schatz: nurse.
How far did the team travel to help Hannah?
The team traveled approximately 155 miles (nearly 250km) from Erlangen to Chemnitz.
What are the complexities of ECMO treatment in children?
ECMO in children presents unique challenges. As children have smaller anatomical structures, such as veins, the cannulas (tubes) used in the procedure must be placed with extreme precision, frequently enough guided by ultrasound. Also, children have a high risk of thrombosis , so close monitoring of blood clotting and blood-thinning medications are necessary.
How does veno-venous ECMO work?
Veno-venous ECMO supports lung function by:
Diverting oxygen-poor blood from the body.
Oxygenating the blood in the ECMO system.
returning the oxygenated blood to the body.
What is the University Hospital Erlangen’s new intensive care transport service?
Due to the success of Hannah’s case, University Hospital Erlangen now offers intensive care transport services for children with severe respiratory failure. A four-person ECMO team is available to transport patients, primarily for clinics in southern and central Germany.
Why is specialized pediatric ECMO expertise critically important?
Specialized expertise in pediatric ECMO is vital as the procedure is more complex in children. While ECMO has been used for a long time in adults, it is a relatively new procedure for children and rarely available nationwide.
What was Hannah’s recovery like?
After being weaned off ECMO and ventilation, Hannah required intensive oxygen therapy as she had to learn to breathe again. Dr. Reutter is optimistic about her recovery, stating that children have “uncanny regeneration skills.”
What is the prognosis for Hannah?
Dr. Reutter is optimistic about Hannah’s recovery, believing she will recover and be “unscathed.”
Were can I find more facts?
For further information on this case, contact:
Dr. Heiko Reutter
09131 85-41360
heiko.reutter@uk-erlangen.de
Key Takeaways from Hannah’s Case
Here’s a summary of the key aspects of Hannah’s treatment:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Patient | 3-year-old girl, Hannah |
| Emergency | Severe lung failure due to influenza |
| Treatment | ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) |
| Hospital Involved | University Hospital Erlangen |