MIRANDOLA, Italy – September 29
A milestone achievement at Bundeswehr Central Hospital Koblenz highlights the reliability and growing adoption of the CBM Lifemotion system.
We are proud to announce the first successful clinical use of the CBM Lifemotion ECMO system at a German military hospital: the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Bundeswehr Central Hospital (BwZKrhs) Koblenz.
On September 9, 2025, a 60-year-old patient was admitted with papillary muscle rupture of ischemic origin, COPD, and severely impaired lung function. The patient was initially stabilized using an ECMELLA configuration. After cardiac recovery, the Impella was weaned, and the treatment plan required transitioning from VVA-ECMO to VV-ECMO.
Given the extended support period (11 days) and the limited function of the existing ECMO system, the interdisciplinary team decided to perform a system change.
On September 26, 2025, the switch to VV-ECMO and transition to the Lifemotion system was carried out successfully. The procedure went smoothly, and the Lifemotion system performed reliably and without complications.
Clinical team at Bundeswehr Central Hospital Koblenz with the CBM Lifemotion® ECMO system following the successful first cases. Their expertise and collaboration mark an important milestone for the adoption of Lifemotion within the German military healthcare system (September 2025).
Clinical impressions of the Lifemotion ECMO system included:
- Rapid and straightforward setup and priming process
- Clear and intuitive display with logical menu navigation
- Stable connectors and cabling for temperature, pressure, and flow
- Well-designed transport options, including strong battery capacity and the ability to operate the drive unit and battery alone during transport
- Reliable oxygenation and CO₂ elimination throughout the support period
- Transparent alarm management and clear digital overview of system status
- The team reported that the Lifemotion ECMO system left a very reliable and well-thought-out impression, with particular appreciation for its ease of use and consistent performance.
We sincerely thank the Department of Cardiac Surgery at BwZKrhs Koblenz for this important collaboration, as well as our partner Cormed — and especially Mr. Detlef Balcke — for their support, training, and expertise throughout the process.
This milestone marks the very first use of the CBM Lifemotion ECMO system in a German military hospital, underscoring its clinical reliability and growing role in advancing extracorporeal life support across Europe.
