Management of a COVID-19-infected critically ill patient treated by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a case report

Fu, Qingpin; Li, Difei; He, Wei; Zeng, Qiuxuan; Chen, Jieya; Zhang, Guolong

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new type of respiratory infectious disease that spreads among humans. People infected with COVID-19 present with severe acute respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, breathlessness and dyspnea, impaired physical conditions, kidney failure, and even death. Chest radiographs suggest diffuse inflammation in both lungs and show "white lung" changes. Patients may even experience multiple organ failures within a short period. The effects of general ventilator-assisted treatment are poor. While the application of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for adjuvant therapy in COVID-19 patients may benefit, there is still a lack of clinical management experience to guide the treatment of the disease. Therefore, in this case, report, we describe the case of a COVID-19-infected patient who was managed with ECMO. During treatment, the patient's vital signs, biochemical indicators, and hemodynamic changes were closely monitored, with strengthening the operation of ECMO and mechanical ventilation, the patients bleeding, infection and other related complications were actively prevented and managed. After active treatment and careful management, the patient was successfully weaned from ECMO after 13 days. This report has summarized the management experience of a severe case with ECMO management, which can provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of severe COVID-19 patients in the future.