PMC7688365_01
The patient's timeline.
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fig1
At the age of 13 weeks, a girl born at term who had previously been healthy was brought to the emergency unit of a local hospital in respiratory distress (day 0, see Figure 1 for the detailed timeline).
Chest X-rays taken on admission (a): on the day before cannulation and VV-ECMO commencement (b), on the day of VV-ECMO commencement (c), and on the day before extubation (d). Note the Avalon Cannula projecting in front of the superior and inferior vena cava in (c).
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fig2
No ventricular dysfunction was evident on transthoracic echocardiography, but major confluent bilateral opacities were apparent on a chest X-ray (Figure 2).
A thoracic computed tomograph taken during VV-ECMO-assisted recovery from Pneumocystis pneumonia-caused ARDS. (a) Apical lesions; (b) Carinal lesions associated with fibrosis and alveolar condensation; (c) lower lobe condensation (an air bronchogram); (d) lung base condensations. Note the Avalon Cannula in the vena cava in all panels.
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fig3
Compliance slowly improved; computed tomography (Figure 3) revealed persistent pulmonary consolidation but without major fibrosis.