Toothache Turns Critical: TKP Successfully Coordinates ECMO Transfer to Guangzhou

What began as a routine toothache turned into a life-threatening cardiac emergency for Professor Lin, a retired Taiwanese academic living in Shenzhen. Thanks to prompt ECMO initiation and TKP’s expertly coordinated inter-hospital transfer, he is now receiving advanced care in Guangzhou.

Professor Lin under intensive monitoring in the ICU following successful ECMO and IABP support initiation

A Minor Symptom with a Deadly Turn

Professor Lin, a retired professor from a leading Taiwanese university, had settled in Shenzhen to run a cultural organization. One week prior, he began experiencing intermittent pain in his lower left molar. Brushing it off as dental irritation, he continued his work. However, four days later, the pain was accompanied by chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and profuse sweating. Within minutes, he collapsed at his workplace.

Emergency responders transferred him to the ER, where he was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction. Just as the cardiology team arrived, Lin went into cardiac arrest. After 20 minutes of unsuccessful CPR, the medical team initiated V-A ECMO (veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). Coronary angiography revealed triple-vessel disease, unresponsive to stents or balloon angioplasty, necessitating surgical treatment at a more advanced center.

TKP critical care team stabilizing the patient inside the ECMO-equipped ambulance en route to Guangzhou.

Stability Secured, But Transfer Urgent

After stabilizing in the ICU—with both ECMO and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support—Professor Lin showed reassuring neurological signs. The Shenzhen team urgently contacted a top-tier cardiac surgical hospital in Guangzhou. Lin’s family engaged TKP Medical Assistance to arrange the transfer.

Given the 140 km distance, TKP experts recommended ground ambulance over air transport. Their ECMO-capable ambulance was equipped with independent power supply, secure ECMO fixation systems, and strict protocols to maintain membrane oxygenator positioning and drug continuity throughout the journey.

ECMO and IABP systems secured during inter-hospital transfer—ensuring safe, uninterrupted life support throughout the journey

Critical Transfer Completed

Within hours, TKP completed all coordination with receiving clinicians at Guangzhou First Affiliated Hospital of Medical University (National Respiratory Center). Professor Lin was safely admitted to the ICU for continued surgical planning and treatment.

This successful transfer underscores TKP’s unmatched capabilities in handling ECMO transport, combining medical precision with seamless operational execution—even when the original complaint was “just a toothache.”

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