Researcher's Work from Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases Focuses on Respiratory Therapy (Autopsy Histopathologic Lung Findings in Patients Treated With Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation).

A recent study conducted at the Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases in Zabrze, Poland, examined the lung histopathologic findings in patients who underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment for respiratory and cardiac failure. The study found that the most common histopathologic findings in ECMO patients were bronchopneumonia, interstitial edema, diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), hemorrhagic infarct, and pulmonary hemorrhage. DAD was associated with longer ECMO treatment and hospital stay. The study suggests that protective lung ventilation should be considered in patients treated with venoarterial (VA) ECMO, as one-third of VA ECMO patients had histopathologic changes characteristic of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). [Extracted from the article]