Search

Objective: To describe our experience with the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a rescue therapy in adult patients with severe cardiopulmonary failure from Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome., Design: Case series., Setting: Tertiary referral center., Patients: Patients with confirmed Hantavirus infection, who developed severe cardiopulmonary failure in which conventional therapy was assessed as being unsuccessful., Interventions: Records of previous patients treated for Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome were reviewed and findings consistent with 100% mortality were found., Measurements and Main Results: Findings associated with a 100% mortality rate were a) cardiac index of <2.5 L/min/m2; b) serum lactate concentration of >4.0 mmol/L (normal range 0.0 to 2.2); c) pulseless electrical activity or ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia; and d) refractory shock despite fluid resuscitation, and vasoactive medications. From 1994 to 1996, seven patients were admitted with confirmed Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and severe cardiopulmonary failure. Three of the seven patients had at least two of the four criteria for a 100% mortality rate listed above, and appeared to be failing optimal conventional therapy. These three patients received support with venoarterial ECMO. The first patient was placed on ECMO during cardiac arrest and died. The next two patients who received ECMO for Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome survived after relatively short, uncomplicated ECMO runs, and were discharged without complications., Conclusions: ECMO successfully provided cardiopulmonary support in two patients with severe Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome who survived with a good outcome. Our experience suggests that ECMO is a beneficial therapy for patients critically ill with Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

The term atypical pathogens has been applied in recent years to Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and the various species of Legionella. The incidence of pneumonia caused by these pathogens has increased with the development of specific diagnostic techniques. Atypical pathogen community-acquired pneumonia demonstrates a broad spectrum of severity from a mild disease not requiring hospitalization to adult respiratory distress syndrome necessitating mechanical ventilation. The clinical, radiological, and laboratory manifestations of the disease are similar to those of community-acquired pneumonia caused by other pathogens, and reliable etiological differentiation cannot be based on these factors alone. The possibility of shortening treatment time, at least in some patients, by antibiotic therapy with the new macrolides has been added to standard therapeutic regimens with erythromycin, tetracyclines, or quinolones.