• A 38-year-old man with progressive alveolitis secondary to polymyositis was treated for 52 days with venovenous and venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to bilateral lung transplantation. The patient survived, despite multiple complications, and is now back home with good pulmonary function. He is working part-time nearly 3 years post-transplant. This case shows that long-term extracorporeal lung assist is a viable but demanding alternative for bridging patients to pulmonary transplantation. This case also shows that right ventricular failure necessating conversion to veno-arterial assist does not necessarily predict right ventricular failure post-transplant.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Anestesi och intensivvård (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Adult

Dermatomyositis/*complications/diagnosis

Disease Progression

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation/*methods

Follow-Up Studies

Heart Failure/etiology/therapy

Hemodynamics/physiology

Humans

Lung Transplantation/methods

Male

Pulmonary Fibrosis/etiology/surgery

Respiratory Insufficiency/etiology/*therapy

Risk Assessment

Time Factors

Treatment Outcome

*Waiting Lists

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)