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CTCCU is where we also care for those patients that require ECMO support
CTCCU is where we care for all patients that require specialised heart and lung support. It is largely a surgical intensive care unit – by which we mean that the majority of the patients on our unit are recovering from heart surgery or lung surgery of various kinds. This may vary from those patients that are requiring artificial / mechanical support after heart transplant surgery, to those patients that have had more routine coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG surgery). Commonly we care for patients that have also had heart valve surgery and lung cancer surgery.
Some patients develop complications after high-risk surgery and CTCCU is where we manage those patients that require on-going organ support eg kidney dialysis, ventilation for respiratory failure and also high-tech cardiac support. Our staff are caring, highly trained, and experienced at looking after some of the most poorly patients in the country.
CTCCU is also where we look after those patients that require ECMO support (Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation). Our CTCCU is one of only two intensive care units in the country where we can look after ECMO patients, transplant patients and those that require advanced mechanical support for severe heart failure. The centre is led by Dr Julian Barker, Consultant Cardiothoracic Anaesthetist.