RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Successful Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Respiratory Failure in an Infant With DiGeorge Anomaly, Following Thymus Transplantation
JF Respiratory Care
FD American Association for Respiratory Care
SP 866
OP 870
DO 10.4187/respcare.01051
VO 56
IS 6
A1 Christoph P Hornik
A1 Mary E Hartman
A1 M Louise Markert
A1 Andrew J Lodge
A1 Ira M Cheifetz
A1 David A Turner
YR 2011
UL http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/56/6/866.abstract
AB We report the first successful use of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for refractory respiratory failure in an infant with DiGeorge anomaly, following thymus transplantation. A 23-month-old female with complete immune-incompetent DiGeorge anomaly 65 days after allogenic thymus transplantation was treated in our pediatric intensive care unit for acute respiratory failure secondary to bacterial sepsis. She subsequently developed acute hypercarbic respiratory failure unresponsive to conventional medical therapy. She was successfully managed with venovenous ECMO for 4 days, with complete resolution of her respiratory symptoms. This case demonstrates the complex decision making process regarding initiation of ECMO in patients with severe immunodeficiency.