EMT Infected With COVID-19 First In Oklahoma Treated With Same Therapies Used Overseas

Doctors in Tulsa say treatments and equipment they have been using for years likely saved the life of an EMT after she was infected with COVID-19.

Ibeth Carpenter is one of Oklahoma's first COVID-19 cases.

Doctors who treated her said what they learned from her case has helped with treating other COVID-19 patients.

The Cleveland EMT, believed to have been infected while transporting another patient in late February, is also making a remarkable recovery.

Ibeth's husband Paul Carpenter said the 52-year-old was in good health and is now trying to stay optimistic while in rehabilitation.

"She's going through a very tough experience, and it has been difficult for all of us," said Paul.

Paul also said their family is grateful for all who've helped save the life of the mother of three.

Dr. Adel Ghuloom with Oklahoma Heart Institute is among the dozens of doctors, nurses and staff within the Hillcrest Health System who have cared for Ibeth since the beginning of March.

He showed News On 6 the equipment used and explained the reasoning.

"We know her chances of making it without the machine was close to maybe 10 percent,” explained Ghuloom. “We know with the machine, the chance can go up 50 to 60 percent.”

Ghuloom said staff used equipment they already had after learning the treatments worked for other COVID-19 patients in China, Italy, Japan and South Korea.

First, the RotoProne Bed, which rotates the patient to improve oxygen delivery, was used on Ibeth for several days.

Then, staff set up the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine, which takes blood from the patient, adds oxygen, removes carbon dioxide and pumps it back to the patient.

"We've been doing this treatment for a lot of patients who had massive heart attacks, or they have bad influenza, pneumonia -- have been using the machine successfully here,” said Ghuloom. “Ibeth was the first patient to get the ECMO machine in Oklahoma for coronavirus."

As News On 6 has reported, Ibeth and her paramedic partner with Mercy Regional EMS, who was also tested positive for COVID-19, have both been denied any benefits from the worker's compensation insurance from Louisiana. Mercy Regional EMS and the Carpenter family have asked for state leaders to step in to help change the law.

If you'd like to help the Carpenter family, there's a GoFundMe set up: https://www.gofundme.com/f/emtcarpenter