A Miraculous Recovery: How a Radiologist’s Life Was Saved with ECMO
Andrea, a 47-year-old radiologist from Turin, experienced a cardiac arrest that lasted for a day, with his heart stopping and not responding to standard treatments. The probability of survival in such cases is typically below 10%. However, thanks to the expertise of the emergency resuscitation team at Molinette, directed by Dr. Marinella Zanierato, Andrea’s life was saved using a machine for extracorporeal circulation, known as ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). This technique can temporarily replace the heart and lungs, giving the heart a chance to recover.
The ECMO machine was instrumental in Andrea’s recovery, as it allowed his heart to “calm down” and “settle down,” giving the medical team time to treat him. As Andrea recounts from his hospital bed, “It was fundamental, otherwise I would have died. They couldn’t restart the heart. ECMO gave the heart the opportunity to calm down, to stop for a moment and to settle down.” The incident occurred on October 25th, when Andrea’s father, 84, fell and hit his head, prompting Andrea and his partner to call an ambulance. Shortly after, Andrea himself collapsed, and the same doctors who arrived to help his father began performing resuscitation maneuvers on him.
The ECMO Resuscitation Program: A Lifesaving Intervention
The ECMO resuscitation program at the City of Health and Science in Turin has been instrumental in saving lives, including Andrea’s. In the last two years (2024 and 2025), 16 patients in refractory cardiac arrest from out-of-hospital settings were treated with ECMO, and eight of them survived. According to Dr. Marinella Zanierato, the director of the emergency resuscitation team, the ECMO machine can bring the probability of survival to 50% in cases where standard treatments have failed. Andrea’s case is a testament to the effectiveness of this program, which has given him a second chance at life.
Andrea’s road to recovery was not without its challenges. He experienced a series of serious complications, including dialysis and massive necrosis of all his muscles, which required prolonged treatment. However, after a month and a half in a medically induced coma, he woke up, and his condition has been improving day by day. As he looks to the future, Andrea is optimistic about his chances of returning to a normal life, with no major deficits expected. His story is a remarkable example of the power of medical innovation and the expertise of healthcare professionals.
A Happy Ending to an Impossible Story
Andrea’s story is a testament to the importance of access to advanced medical technology and the expertise of healthcare professionals. The ECMO resuscitation program at the City of Health and Science in Turin has given him a second chance at life, and his recovery is a beacon of hope for others who may face similar challenges. As Andrea himself says, “I shouldn’t have any major deficits: in any case, I will return to living a normal life.” For more information on this remarkable story, visit Here