Prolonged treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia with high-flow nasal oxygen: A story of oxygen and resilience

S Afr Med J. 2020 Oct 8;110(12):1168-1171. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2020.v110i12.15325.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed significant strain on the oxygen delivery infrastructure of health facilities in resource-constrained health systems. In this case report, we describe a patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who was managed with high-flow nasal oxygen for 40 days, with an eventual successful outcome. We discuss the oxygen delivery infrastructure needed to offer this intervention, as well as the psychosocial impact on those undergoing treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use*
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Anxiety / therapy
  • Blood Gas Analysis
  • COVID-19 / blood
  • COVID-19 / physiopathology
  • COVID-19 / psychology
  • COVID-19 / therapy*
  • Cannula
  • Citalopram / therapeutic use
  • Counseling
  • Dexamethasone / therapeutic use
  • Disease Progression
  • Enoxaparin / therapeutic use
  • Factor Xa Inhibitors / blood
  • Female
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use*
  • Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia / complications
  • Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia / diagnosis
  • Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia / drug therapy
  • Hematoma / chemically induced
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia / blood
  • Hypoxia / physiopathology
  • Hypoxia / therapy*
  • Middle Aged
  • Oxygen / supply & distribution*
  • Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / methods*
  • Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / psychology
  • Patient Care Team
  • Patient Positioning / methods*
  • Patient Positioning / psychology
  • Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination / therapeutic use
  • Prone Position
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychosocial Support Systems*
  • Resilience, Psychological
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Social Work Department, Hospital
  • Thigh
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Anticoagulants
  • Enoxaparin
  • Factor Xa Inhibitors
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
  • Citalopram
  • Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination
  • Dexamethasone
  • Oxygen