A PREGNANT WOMAN WITH AVIAN INFLUENZA A (H7N9) VIRUS PNEUMONIA AND ARDS MANAGED WITH EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2015 May;46(3):444-8.

Abstract

We report a case of H7N9 avian influenza pneumonia in a pregnant woman who developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) managed with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A 29-year-old, 27 week pregnant woman developed rapidly progressive pneumonia with bilateral infiltrates on chest x-ray and was confirmed to have influenza A (H7N9) infection. Her condition deteriorated and she developed ARDS which was managed with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) and treated with antimicrobials. Her clinical symptoms and oxygenation gradually improved and the ECMO was discontinued on the 19t day. Unfortunately, she suddenly died a few days later, due to a presumed pulmonary embolism. Based on our experience, ECMO may be useful to manage pneumonia due to H7N9 avian influenza and ARDS in pregnant women.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / methods*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype / isolation & purification
  • Influenza, Human / therapy*
  • Influenza, Human / virology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / therapy*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / virology
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome / therapy*
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome / virology