EXTRACORPOREAL LIFE SUPPORT ORGANIZATION (ELSO) LATIN-AMERICA
The ELSO organization has been responsible for linking a huge network of centers who offer ECMO support, in order to optimize quality care, promote international collaborations and provide guidelines for ECMO practice and patient care The ELSO Registry is the foundation for many publications involving support of neonates, children and adults.
Following the Euro-ELSO and ELSO Asia-Pacific examples, in 2012 the Latin-America created the local chapter of ELSO. The ELSO Latin-America foundation was based on Santiago – Chile, during the Latin-America ECMO Symposium 2012. About 250 ECMO practitioners from Latin-America attended the event, which also had had the participation, through videoconference, of ELSO representatives (Dr. Steve Conrad, Dr. Michael Hines, Peter Rycus, and Dr. William Lynch).
During this first meeting, Santiago was chosen as headquarter of ELSO Latin-America, and the first official meeting was planned to be in Brazil on 2014. Since that time, some steps were done and also planned:
1. Election of the coordinators, committees and collaborators by representatives of ELSO Latin-America centers.
2. Installation of the Latin-America chapter during the Philadelphia’s ELSO annual meeting in 2013.
3. Creation of the ELSO Latin-America logo.
4. Establishment of legal ground as a non-lucrative society.
5. Beginning of the activities of the below cited committees.
6. Incorporation of new ELSO Latin-America centers.
7. Translation of the “ELSO Red Book” and the “Manual of ECLS training” to Spanish and Portuguese.
We believe the ELSO Latin-America foundation was very important in order to enhance the ECMO use and credibility in the region, through the helpful considerations, guidelines and expertise of ELSO. A common database and a research group are other consistent factors implemented. Furthermore, a standard education process is now possible.
ELSO Latin-America organizers
Chairman:
- Luiz Fernando Caneo (Brazil)
Past Co-Chairmen:
- Rodrigo Díaz (Chile)
- Javier Kattan Said (Chile)
Protocols and Research Co-Chairmen:
- Andrés Castillo (Chile)
- Rodolfo Keller (Argentina)
Devices and Techniques Co-Chairmen:
- Eduardo Domínguez (Argentina)
- Cristián Fajardo (Chile)
Communications Co-Chairmen:
- Javier Gentile (Colombia)
- Fernado Lucchese (Brazil)
Conference Committee Co-Chairmen:
- Fernando Antoniali (Brazil)
- René Gómez (México)
Logistics and Education Co-Chairmen:
- Leonardo Salazar (Colombia)
Registry Co-Chairmen:
- Gisela Salas (Argentina)
- Gustavo Ribeiro (Brazil)
Committees Members-at-large:
- Aldemir Nogueira (Brazil)
- Alfredo Umaña (Chile)
- Cecilia Rubio (Argentina)
- Gonzalo Mariani (Argentina)
- Helio Queiroz Filho (Brazil)
- Jorge Barretta (Argentina)
- Marcelo Park (Brazil)
- Martín Valdés (Argentina)
- Matías Luco (Chile)
- Miriam Faunes (Chile)
- Pablo Eulmesekian (Argentina)
- Sergio Cisternas (Chile)
- Sonia Beatriz Rodas (Argentina)
- Willy Conejeros Parodi (Argentina)
- Alejandro Bruhn (Chile)
- Ana Zambruno (Argentina)
- Claudia Martínez (Chile)
- Guillermo Moreno (Argentina)
- Hugo Dante Cardoso (Argentina)
- Luisa aldini (Argentina)
- María Luisa Pilán (Argentina)
- Mateo Ferrero (Argentina)
- Mauricio Urquizo (Argentina)
- Nicolás Correa (Chile)
- Pedro Becker (Chile)
- Silvio Torres (Argentina)
- Verónica Sepulveda (Chile)
- Gisella Ponce (Argentina)
The treasurer for the Latin-America Chapter of ELSO is Jorge Rufs (Chile) and the secretary is Isabel Gonzalez (Chile).
The Latin America Chapter actions are to promote the safe practice and science of ECLS in the region, while engaging other centers worldwide in collaborative research.