UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute
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About UH Harrington
Heart & Vascular Institute
UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute is a trusted destination for advanced cardiovascular care, serving communities across Northeast Ohio and beyond with nationally recognized physicians, innovative treatments and a long legacy of medical breakthroughs.
In honor of American Heart Month, your gift supports patient-centered care, leading clinical expertise, and discoveries that improve outcomes and save lives at UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute.
Quick Action Leads to Lifesaving Care
At 52, Aletah Whitman woke to what felt like an explosion in her chest. She collapsed but managed to call 911 before going into cardiac arrest. First responders rushed her to UH Cleveland Medical Center, where her care team performed extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), circulating and oxygenating her blood through an ECMO machine.
UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute adopted ECPR early, launching its program in 2021 with the establishment of the Hambrick Center for Cardiac Recovery. The approach requires close collaboration across emergency medicine, cardiothoracic surgery, interventional cardiology, and critical care.
A CT scan revealed that Aletah had suffered a massive pulmonary embolism. She underwent a pulmonary embolectomy to remove clots in her lungs and spent four days on ECMO before regaining consciousness. Less than two months after her cardiac arrest, Aletah returned home—and soon, to work. “So many things had to be in place for this to go right,” she said. “I’m so grateful to UH for the amazing care.”