The director of John Hunter Hospital's intensive care unit says a new $130,000 heart and lung machine donated by the hospital's volunteers comes at a "handy" time given it is being used in China to aid coronavirus victims.
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Dr Jorge Brieva's unit took delivery of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine on Wednesday. It was donated by the hospital's volunteers who raise funds by selling goods at the hospital's entry and through other initiatives.
"This particular machine is what is used for corona virus in China when the virus gets into the lung," Dr Brieva said.
"It's a machine that completely replaces the heart and lungs when they are unable to work."
John Hunter Hospital is one of only eight hospitals in the state to house an ECMO machine, and the only hospital to have one north of the Hawkesbury River.
Dr Brieva said the new machine, the hospital's third, would double its capacity to treat those who need it.
"It is very vital," he said. "It is basically the last resort to save someone's life."
Retired nurse Peter Baker had his life saved by the machine last year, after his lungs haemorrhaged and he suffered a cardiac arrest.
The 65-year-old was working in the yard of his Lake Macquarie home one day when he started coughing blood. His wife Julie rushed him to Lake Macquarie Private Hospital, where he went into cardiac arrest.
Ms Baker said staff there put in a tracheostomy tube and "really saved his life".
He was then transferred to John Hunter Hospital where he was put on the ECMO for about 10 days while he received additional treatment.
"He's very lucky to still be here," she said.
"It's effectively like a set of lungs beside the bed.
"We're very lucky in Newcastle to have had access to one. It's the best gift getting another one."
Ms Baker said while her husband was ill she witnessed the generous work of the hospital volunteers first hand.
"Those volunteers really are quite the unsung heroes," she said.
"They were there every day helping people. They are calming and gave advice about all sorts of things."