Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is generally considered futile in patients with leukemia.
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A patient with acute myeloid leukemia was treated successfully with ECMO during acute respiratory failure due to influenza virus.
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ECMO should be considered as a viable treatment option in patients with severe leukopenia due to hematological malignancy.
Abstract
We report the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in a 28-year-old woman who had an influenza infection complicated with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) during treatment for acute myeloid leukemia. Despite ventilator management with positive end-expiratory pressure, nitrogen oxide inhalation, and prone positioning, there was severe hypoxemia. ECMO led to improvement in gas exchange and lung mechanics. This case shows that ECMO can be lifesaving in the treatment of immunocompromised patients who have hypoxemia that is refractory to conventional treatment.
