Management of acute respiratory distress syndrome using pumpless extracorporeal lung assist

To describe the use of a pumpless extracorporeal lung assist device in the treatment of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

A 15-yr-old girl developed severe post-traumatic ARDS. After all conventional treatment strategies failed, we inserted a pumpless extracorporeal lung assist device. This device consists of an arterial cannula inserted into the femoral artery, and a membrane oxygenator with a venous cannula that returns the oxygenated blood back to the patient's femoral vein. Since the driving force is the patient's blood pressure, a roller pump with its negative side effects is not needed. The device allowed removal of excessive PaCO(2) and, by applying minimal ventilation, minimization of further ventilator-induced lung injury. The pumpless extracorporeal lung assist device remained in situ for ten days without any adverse side effect. During this time, the lung recovered such that mechanical ventilation could be reinstalled cautiously. The device was then removed and, after a prolonged period of intensive care, the patient recovered without any sequelae.

In this case of a severely damaged lung, an arteriovenous pumpless extracorporeal lung assist was a helpful device to remove elevated CO(2) and reduce mechanical stress by applying minimal ventilation. This device is simple to operate and has the potential of being used routinely in the treatment of severe ARDS.