ECMO/CRRT Combined Support an Important Technique Treatment for Critically Ill COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients, Finds Study

A new study has found that extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) combined with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is an important treatment technique for the treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

In the study, researchers at the Fudan University (Shanghai, China) collected and analyzed data on three critically ill COVID-19 patients who received ECMO/CRRT. All the three patients were male, and the mean age was 50.6 years (range 44–58 years). The indications for ECMO in critically ill SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia patients were severe acute respiratory distress syndrome with Pao2/Fio2 below 100 mmHg under an effective protective pulmonary ventilation strategy and inflammatory storm accompanied by acute kidney injury.


One patient, with severe heart failure, was selected for venoarterial ECMO, and the other two patients were selected for venovenous ECMO. In the three patients who received ECMO combined with bedside CRRT, the mean duration was 9.7 days (range 7–13 days). Four complications occurred during ECMO/CRRT, especially thrombocytopenia. Laboratory testing showed increased counts of leukocytes and lymphocytes and decreased levels of inflammatory factors. Lung CT was suggestive of significantly absorbed and reduced lesions and interstitial fibrosis. The researchers concluded that the survival rate of patients with cardiopulmonary failure treated with ECMO/CRRT in whom conventional treatment failed in this group was 100%, which indicates that combined treatment with ECMO and CRRT is an important treatment technique for the treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

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