Torrance Memorial Medical Center Joins L.A. County’s Life-Saving ECPR Program

Torrance Memorial Medical Center Joins L.A. County's Life-Saving ECPR Program

Bringing the Future of Cardiac Arrest Recovery Closer to Home

Torrance, CA - [July 1, 2025] - Torrance Memorial Medical Center proudly announces that its Emergency Department has been officially designated as a member of the Los Angeles County eCPR (extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation) Program-a groundbreaking regional initiative designed to improve survival rates and quality of life for patients experiencing a cardiac arrest.

This life-saving pilot program, launched countywide in July 2020, uses ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) technology in carefully selected cases of refractory ventricular fibrillation (rVF) cardiac arrest to take over heart and lung function for patients who have not responded to standard CPR.

As part of this elite system, Torrance Memorial joins a limited group of only six adult ECMO centers in LA County, offering residents in the South Bay immediate access to one of medicine's most advanced resuscitation options.

"This is a huge leap forward for emergency and critical care in the region," said Julie Che, RN, Executive Director of Critical Care and Emergency Department at Torrance Memorial. "Our designation reflects the skill, commitment, and preparedness of our emergency and critical care teams to provide the highest level of advanced life support."

The LA County eCPR Program coordinates paramedics and other first-responders, emergency departments, and cardiac specialists to rapidly transport qualifying cardiac arrest patients to eCPR-capable centers like Torrance Memorial, where ECMO can be initiated within minutes of arrival.

Torrance Memorial has been providing ECMO support since 2019, with 113 runs totaling more than 37,000 hours on circuit. In 2024, the hospital was recognized as a Silver Level ECMO Center of Excellence by ELSO (Extracorporeal Life Support Organization).

"Joining the LA County eCPR network is a natural next step," says Dr. Aziz Ghaly, MD, Torrance Memorial's Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery/ECMO Medical Director. "This is about giving patients a second chance-not just at life, but at a life with their brain and personality intact."

According to LA County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), 27% of patients treated with eCPR during the program's pilot phase survived with full neurologic recovery. Nationally, 32% of patients treated with ECPR in 2024 survived to hospital discharge or transfer, reinforcing the potential of this advanced therapy when used in appropriately selected patients.

For more information about ECMO and advanced resuscitation services at Torrance Memorial, visit https://www.torrancememorial.org/medical-services/intensive-care/