Historic Medical Milestone: First Patient Fully Recovers After Nine Days on ECMO Support at NICVD Karachi

For the first time in Pakistan, a patient at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Karachi has made a full recovery after spending nine days on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) support—a significant milestone in the country’s medical history.

The patient received both VA (veno-arterial) and VV (veno-venous) ECMO support, a complex and highly specialized procedure used when the heart and lungs are unable to function properly on their own. This dual ECMO approach provided critical life support when all conventional treatments had failed, ultimately saving the patient’s life.

This achievement reflects the extraordinary dedication and skill of NICVD’s specialized ECMO team, who worked tirelessly around the clock to manage the case. The successful recovery not only marks a major advancement in Pakistan’s cardiac and critical care capabilities but also sets a precedent for future life-saving interventions using advanced technologies like ECMO.