H1N1 influenza-associated pneumonia with severe obesity: successful management with awake veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and early respiratory physical therapy

Tetsuei Kikukawa; Takayuki Ogura; Tomofumi Harasawa; Hiroyuki Suzuki; Minoru Nakano

doi:10.1002/ams2.165

H1N1 influenza-associated pneumonia with severe obesity: successful management with awake veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and early respiratory physical therapy

Acute Med Surg. 2015 Sep 22;3(2):186-189. doi: 10.1002/ams2.165. eCollection 2016 Apr.

Authors

Tetsuei Kikukawa¹, Takayuki Ogura¹, Tomofumi Harasawa¹, Hiroyuki Suzuki¹, Minoru Nakano¹

Affiliation

¹ Advanced Medical Emergency Department and Critical Care CenterJapan Red Cross Maebashi Hospital Maebashi Gunma Japan.

Abstract

Case: We report a case of H1N1 influenza-associated respiratory failure with severe obesity.

Outcome: A 54-year-old man was admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) because of H1N1 influenza-associated severe respiratory failure. He was severely obese, having a body mass index of 37.2. His respiratory condition remained severe under mechanical ventilation. We started veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation immediately. Awake management was started on ICU Day 6, and the patient's respiratory physical therapy began the following day. His respiratory condition showed excellent improvement immediately following the initiation of respiratory physical therapy. The patient was successfully decannulated on ICU Day 9, and he was discharged from the ICU on Day 11. He was discharged from the hospital with no severe disability on disease Day 60.

Conclusion: Awake extracorporeal membrane oxygenation management with early respiratory physical therapy can be useful in the treatment of morbidly obese patients who present with severe respiratory failure.

Keywords: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; H1N1 influenza; obesity; respiration; respiratory physical therapy.

Publication types

Case Reports