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Background: Chest computed tomography findings are helpful for understanding the pathophysiology of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, there is no large, multicenter, chest computed tomography registry for patients requiring veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO). The aim of this study was to describe chest computed tomography findings at V-V ECMO initiation and to evaluate the association between the findings and outcomes in severe ARDS. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with severe ARDS on V-V ECMO, who were admitted to the intensive care units of 24 hospitals in Japan between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2022. Results: The primary outcome was 90-day in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcomes were the successful liberation from V-V ECMO and the values of static lung compliance. Among the 697 registry patients, of the 582 patients who underwent chest computed tomography at V-V ECMO initiation, 394 survived and 188 died. Multivariate Cox regression showed that traction bronchiectasis and subcutaneous emphysema increased the risk of 90-day in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] 1.77 [1.19–2.63], p = 0.005 and 1.97 [1.02–3.79], p = 0.044, respectively). The presence of traction bronchiectasis was also associated with decreased successful liberation from V-V ECMO (odds ratio: 0.27 [0.14–0.52], p < 0.001). Lower static lung compliance was associated with some chest computed tomography findings related to changes outside of pulmonary opacity, but not with the findings related to pulmonary opacity. Conclusions: Traction bronchiectasis and subcutaneous emphysema increased the risk of 90-day in-hospital mortality in patients with severe ARDS who required V-V ECMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: We used independent lung ventilation (ILV) during veno‐venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V‐V ECMO) after lung abscess surgery in a patient with severe hypoxia and air leak. ILV can be effective in V‐V ECMO as unilateral lung air leak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: While limiting the tidal volume to 6 mL/kg during veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) to ameliorate lung injury in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is widely accepted, the best setting for positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is still controversial. This study is being conducted to investigate whether a higher PEEP setting (15 cmH 2 O) during V-V ECMO can decrease the duration of ECMO support needed in patients with severe ARDS, as compared with a lower PEEP setting., Methods and Analysis: The study is an investigator-initiated, multicentre, open-label, two-arm, randomised controlled trial conducted with the participation of 20 intensive care units (ICUs) at academic as well as non-academic hospitals in Japan. The subjects of the study are patients with severe ARDS who require V-V ECMO support. Eligible patients will be randomised equally to the high PEEP group or low PEEP group. Recruitment to the study will continue until a total of 210 patients with ARDS requiring V-V ECMO support have been randomised. In the high PEEP group, PEEP will be set at 15 cmH 2 O from the start of V-V ECMO until the trials for liberation from V-V ECMO (or until day 28 after the allocation), while in the low PEEP group, the PEEP will be set at 5 cmH 2 O. Other treatments will be the same in the two groups. The primary endpoint of the study is the number of ECMO-free days until day 28, defined as the length of time (in days) from successful libration from V-V ECMO to day 28. The secondary endpoints are mortality on day 28, in-hospital mortality on day 60, ventilator-free days during the first 60 days and length of ICU stay., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethics approval for the trial at all the participating hospitals was obtained on 27 September 2022, by central ethics approval (IRB at Hiroshima University Hospital, C2022-0006). The results of this study will be presented at domestic and international medical congresses, and also published in scientific journals., Trial Registration Number: The Japan Registry of Clinical Trials jRCT1062220062. Registered on 28 September 2022., Protocol Version: 28 March 2023, version 4.0., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Regarding extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support against hemorrhagic conditions, there seems to be a dilemma when deciding between maintaining the circuit patency by systemic anticoagulation and increasing the risk of bleeding. We herein report two cases of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) caused by myeloperoxidase (MPO) anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) successfully treated with venovenous (VV)-ECMO support, both initially started without systemic anticoagulation. Under anticoagulation-free ECMO management, we should consider the shortcomings of frequent circuit exchange and hemorrhagic diathesis related to circuit-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

Axillary lymph node enlargement following sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is often difficult to accurately diagnose. In keeping with the characteristically tortuous and aberrant pattern of tumor neovasculature, metastatic lymph nodes exhibit peripheral and mixed vascularity, resulting in a microvasculature that is often difficult to visualize. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) with Sonazoid, a new generation contrast agent for ultrasonography, allows for the visualization of lymph node microvessels and may enable a more accurate evaluation of lymph node metastasis. This is a case report of axillary lymph node enlargement following SLNB, in which CEUS with Sonazoid resulted in an accurate diagnosis. On the basis of our experience with this case, we have initiated a clinical trial to evaluate the detection of lymph node metastasis through the use of CEUS in breast cancer patients.