Adjunctive extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal in refractory status asthmaticus

Status asthmaticus (SA) is a life-threatening disorder. Severe respiratory failure may require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Previous reports have demonstrated utility of ECMO in SA in various patients with varying success. A 25-year-old man was admitted with status asthmatics and severe hypercapnic respiratory failure. Despite tailored ventilator therapies, such as pressure control ventilation and maximal pharmacological therapy, including general anaesthesia, the patientâ™s condition deteriorated rapidly. Veno-venous ECMO (VV-ECMO) was provided for respiratory support. The patientâ™s clinical condition improved over the following 72âhours and was discharged from the intensive care unit on day 3. This case report demonstrates the successful use of VV-ECMO in a patient with severe respiratory failure due to SA, who failed to respond to maximal therapy. This case adds support to a growing body of literature that shows that ECMO can be used with success for refractory status asthmaticus.

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