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Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation experiences during COVID-19 pandemic, third wave with younger patients: A
Ahmet Oğuzhan Küçük1, Mehtap Pehlivanlar Küçük1, Olcay Ayçiçek2
1Department of Chest Diseases, Division of Intensive Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey.
Insights
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be a life-saving treatment for severe COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. This study found positive outcomes for patients receiving ECMO, including successful weaning and hospital discharge.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiopulmonary Support
Background:
- The third wave of COVID-19 saw an increase in young severe cases requiring intensive care.
- Extracorporporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a potential advanced life support for critical respiratory failure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the outcomes of severe COVID-19 cases treated with ECMO during a surge of young patients.
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ECMO in managing severe COVID-19 pneumonia unresponsive to conventional therapies.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of seven severe COVID-19 patients who received venovenous ECMO (VV-ECMO) in a tertiary referral ICU.
- Data collected from bedside charts and computer records, including demographic and clinical characteristics.
- Patient data were compared with existing literature.
Main Results:
- Seven patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia received VV-ECMO.
- Five patients (71.5%) were successfully weaned from ECMO.
- Four patients (57.2%) were discharged in good health; three newborns delivered via C/S also had good outcomes.
Conclusions:
- ECMO is a viable, life-saving option for severe COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who do not respond to standard treatments.
- Successful application of ECMO in this cohort highlights its importance in managing critical COVID-19 cases.
Objectives:
In this article, the results of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases followed with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in a 3-month period in the third wave when there were an increased number of cases of young patients in our intensive care unit (ICU) were presented.
Methods:
The study was carried out with all COVID-19 patients who were given ECMO support in our tertiary referral hospital ICU after obtaining the consent of the Ministry of Health Scientific Research Platform and after the approval of the local ethics committee. Patient data were obtained retrospectively from intensive care bedside follow-up charts and computer records. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were presented in average, median, and percentages. The data of the patients were evaluated and compared with the current literature.
Results:
ECMO treatment was applied in seven patients who were followed up with severe COVID-19 pneumonia in the last 3 months. Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) was applied to all patients. Five (71.5%) of seven patients were weaned from ECMO. Four (57.2%) of seven patients were discharged from the ICU and hospital in good health. While two of the patients had a cesarean section (C/S) before ECMO, one patient underwent C/S under ECMO. All three newborns were delivered via C/S and all were premature (C/S dates were 35 weeks, 32 weeks, and 27 weeks), and all were discharged from the hospital in good health.
Conclusion:
Our experience shows that ECMO in COVID-19 patients is a lifesaving treatment option that can be successfully applied in severe acute respiratory distress syndrome cases who do not respond to conventional treatments.
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