Background: Effective pharmacological options for acute hypoxemic or hypercapnic respiratory failure, associated with obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), have not been fully elucidated. Although weight reduction, non-invasive ventilation (NIV), and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) lead to improvements in long-term clinical outcomes and cardiac function, there is no rapid reversal method in serious situations requiring mechanical ventilation. Veno-venous extracorporeal life support by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a widely used modality that can support patients with refractory hypoxemia or hypercapnia as a bridging therapy for recovery.
Case description: We present the case of a morbidly obese [body mass index (BMI) of 42 kg/m2] 58-year-old man with refractory hypoxemic respiratory failure, resulting from severe right ventricular failure and pulmonary hypertension (PH), who underwent emergency support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. During extracorporeal life support and mechanical ventilation, careful diuresis and nutritional control were provided for body weight loss, and body weight was significantly reduced by approximately 30 kg. Nocturnal NIV was initiated immediately after cessation of positive pressure ventilation and endotracheal intubation. After 5 weeks of hospitalization, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed robust improvements in right ventricular cardiac function and PH.
Conclusions: Here, we describe that veno-venous extracorporeal life support may sufficiently support patients with obesity and sleep hypoventilation who have suffered a pulmonary hypertensive crisis.
Keywords: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; case report; obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS); pulmonary hypertension (PH).