Artificial lung device pioneered at UK

Artificial lung device pioneered at UK a ‘new breath of life’ for Pike County man


37 years of working in the coal mines in Eastern Kentucky, Ernie Gillispie of Canada, Ky., in Pike County, had black lung disease. Suffering from the condition for more than 25 years, Gillispie said it became a challenge to walk even 5 feet and forced him to begin using a wheelchair in December 2010. However, an artificial lung device pioneered at UK HealthCare led to Gillispie being eligible to undergo a life-saving transplant.

Although there was much uncertainty when the Gillispies first came to UK HealthCare, they were willing to take chances to improve Ernie’s quality of life. “We met with Dr. Charles Hoopes to see if there was anything we could do,” said Vanessia Gillispie, Ernie’s wife of more than 30 years

Hoopes, UK HealthCare’s new director of the UK Heart and Lung Transplant Program and the director of the Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Program, shared with the Gillispies an option that could save his life, but risk was involved because it had not been done before at UK.

Hoopes recommended Gillispie undergo surgery to allow the use of an artificial lung and double lumen catheter, an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), to improve his condition and quality of life, with the hope that this improvement would make him a candidate for a double lung transplant.

“The goal of artificial lung technology in patients like Mr. Gillispie is to demonstrate that lung transplantation will be effective therapy,” said Hoopes. “If by replacing the lungs with an artificial membrane allows a patient to exercise and function normally, then lung transplantation will benefit the patient and dramatically improve their quality of life.”

ECMO, which is used in cases is so severe that the usual therapy of a respirator, machines and extra oxygen are ineffective, allows blood to receive oxygen from the artificial device. This particular device was created by UK HealthCare’s surgeon in chief, Dr. Jay Zwischenberger and is used worldwide.