Article Text
Summary
Status asthmaticus (SA) is a life-threatening disorder. Severe respiratory failure may require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Previous reports have demonstrated utility of ECMO in SA in various patients with varying success. A 25-year-old man was admitted with status asthmatics and severe hypercapnic respiratory failure. Despite tailored ventilator therapies, such as pressure control ventilation and maximal pharmacological therapy, including general anaesthesia, the patient’s condition deteriorated rapidly. Veno-venous ECMO (VV-ECMO) was provided for respiratory support. The patient’s clinical condition improved over the following 72 hours and was discharged from the intensive care unit on day 3. This case report demonstrates the successful use of VV-ECMO in a patient with severe respiratory failure due to SA, who failed to respond to maximal therapy. This case adds support to a growing body of literature that shows that ECMO can be used with success for refractory status asthmaticus.
- intensive care
- respiratory medicine
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Footnotes
Contributors CJ was responsible for creation of the first draft of this manuscript, analysis and interpretation of the data and literature review. JG was responsible for analysis and interpretation of the data and performing manuscript revisions. HF was responsible for acquisition of data and performing manuscript revisions. JC conceived of this case report and was in charge of final approval.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent Obtained.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.