Updated 5 hours ago
Joe Little, NBC 7
North County frontline medical workers now have new tools to continue their fight against the coronavirus.
The Tri-City Hospital Foundation raised the funds to purchase a new extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine and an Airvo High-Flow Oxygen Device for the Tri-City Medical Center staff.
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The Airvo is the 13th in the organization s arsenal. Respiratory-care practitioner Shannon Cocilova said the Airvo delivers high oxygen concentrations to COVID-19 patients. It’s an alternative to ventilators.
The ECMO, however, is the first in the North County. The $152,000 machine can step in when the patient’s body needs to rest.