A minor fall unexpectedly led to a life-threatening infection and sudden cardiac arrest for Kevin Jones. He became too unstable to transport, and traditional ventilation was not sufficient to support his recovery. The Ascension Saint Thomas ECMO team brought advanced life support directly to him, stabilizing his condition and enabling safe transfer to Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital for continued care.
ECMO, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, temporarily takes over the work of the heart and lungs, giving the body time to heal. It represents the highest level of life support provided by Ascension Saint Thomas and is reserved for patients in critical condition who require advanced intervention.
Jones became the first patient saved through Ascension Saint Thomas’ new ECMO partnership with Williamson Medical Center. This collaboration expands access to this lifesaving technology across Williamson County, bringing advanced critical care closer to local communities and ensuring more patients have timely access to innovative treatment.
Led by Dr. Babatunde Yerokun, Dr. Evelio Rodriguez, and the dedicated Ascension Saint Thomas Heart Team, this program exemplifies the power of coordinated care, advanced technology, and rapid response in saving lives. Over the past decade, Ascension Saint Thomas has stabilized more than 600 patients using ECMO.
