Verticalization Therapy for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Patients Receiving Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Abstract

Persistent hypoxemia during veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) for supporting acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients is a clinical challenge for intensive care medical providers. Prone positioning is an effective strategy to treat persistent hypoxemia; however, placing a patient in a prone position is resource intensive with significant risks to the patient. We present a patient with severe ARDS receiving VV-ECMO who underwent verticalization therapy and subsequently recovered pulmonary function.

Keywords: ards; ecmo; hypoxemia; prone; verticalization therapy.