Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as acute rescue therapy for negative pressure pulmonary edema in the post anesthesia care unit: A case report

Katrina J Augustin; Christina M Creel-Bulos; Gaurav F Budhrani; Casey F Miller; Babar Fiza

doi:10.1002/ccr3.7606

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as acute rescue therapy for negative pressure pulmonary edema in the post anesthesia care unit: A case report

Clin Case Rep. 2023 Jun 30;11(7):e7606. doi: 10.1002/ccr3.7606. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Authors

Katrina J Augustin¹, Christina M Creel-Bulos^{1

2}, Gaurav F Budhrani¹, Casey F Miller³, Babar Fiza¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Critical Care Medicine Emory University Atlanta Georgia USA.
² Department of Emergency Medicine Emory University Atlanta Georgia USA.
³ Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Emory University Atlanta Georgia USA.

Abstract

Negative pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) may result in respiratory failure refractory to conventional management strategies. Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) can serve as a rescue therapy in cases of severe respiratory failure. Rapid initiation of VV ECMO can decrease morbidity and mortality while facilitating early liberation from mechanical ventilation and promoting early rehabilitation. We describe the successful utilization of VV ECMO as rescue therapy for severe NPPE-induced hypoxic respiratory failure and peri-arrest state in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) in a patient with postextubation airway obstruction after undergoing patellar tendon repair.

Keywords: case report; extracorporeal life support; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; negative pressure pulmonary edema.

Publication types

Case Reports