A Case of a Highly Obese Covid-19 Patient with Severe Hypoxemia and Subcutaneous Mediastinal Emphysema Who Was Rescued by Early Introduction of ECMO

Kobe J Med Sci. 2023 Jul 27;69(2):E49-E51.ABSTRACTWe conducted the treatment of a highly obese patient with severe Covid-19 pneumonia who had a history of asthma. When she arrived at the hospital, she was already intubated and had mediastinal emphysema and severe hypoxemia. Because the patient's condition did not improve with mechanical ventilation, we introduced extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) immediately after admission. The patient improved with early induction of ECMO and prone positioning. In the management of patients with severe Covid-19 pneumonia, early introduction of ECMO should be considered if oxygenation does not improve with mechanical ventilation, and prone positioning can also be effective.PMID:37661702

Source: Kobe J Med Sci - September 4, 2023 Category: General Medicine Authors: Shuhei Takahashi Norihiko Obata Shohei Makino Nana Furushima Taichi Nishimura Satoshi Mizobuchi Source Type: research