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Ann Thorac Surg 1981;31:171-175
© 1981 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Articles

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator Support in a Case of Severe Status Asthmaticus

Departments of Medicine and Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine and St. Elizabeth's Hospital of Boston, Boston, MA

Accepted for publication March 5, 1980.

^* Address reprint requests to Dr. MacDonnell, Director, Pulmonary Unit, St. Elizabeth's Hospital, 736 Cambridge St, Brighton, MA 02135

Support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can sustain life for a substantial period of time, but the role of long-term ECMO support is limited. The National Institutes of Health ECMO collaborative study revealed no significant reduction in mortality in adults with severe respiratory distress syndrome treated with ECMO. The value of ECMO in the treatment of transient, severe acute respiratory insufficiency has been demonstrated in patients after cardiac operations, in patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and in patients following trauma. We present an example of refractory respiratory failure in a young asthmatic with massive atelectasis in whom the institution of ECMO allowed us to perform adequate pulmonary lavage. It resulted in improvement in gas exchange and the patient's survival.

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