Life Support System Bridges Patient to Transplant | Artificial Respiration

“Life Bridge” Extracorporeal System Enables Prosperous Double Lung Transplant

A groundbreaking new strategy utilizing an extracorporeal pulmonary system has given a 33-year-old man a second chance at life, allowing him to survive until a double lung transplant could be performed. The innovative approach, detailed in a recent study, offers a potential “life bridge” for patients with severe lung disease.

A man in Chicago faced a dire prognosis after developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening condition characterized by widespread inflammation adn infection in the lungs. The syndrome, initially triggered by the flu and intricate by bacterial pneumonia, caused irreversible damage to his lungs. His condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to heart and kidney failure.

Critical Condition and a Race Against Time

Upon arrival at the hospital, the patient experienced cardiac arrest, requiring immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). “The patient was in critical condition. His heart stopped as soon as he arrived and we had to do CPR,” recalls a thoracic surgeon at Northwestern University in Chicago, and lead author of the study. While a double lung transplant was identified as the only viable option, the patient’s overall health was too fragile to withstand the procedure instantly. He desperately needed time to recover strength before undergoing such a major operation.

Did you know? – ARDS affects approximately 3 million people annually in the U.S., with mortality rates ranging from 20% to 40%, depending on severity and underlying health conditions.

An Artificial Lung Takes Over

To stabilize the patient and provide that crucial recovery period, the medical team engineered a temporary extracorporeal artificial lung system. This system effectively took over the functions of the damaged lungs, oxygenating the blood, removing carbon dioxide, and maintaining stable blood flow to the heart and throughout the body.

The removal of the infected lungs led to notable improvements in the patient’s condition. His blood pressure stabilized, organ function recovered, and the severe infection began to subside.

Pro tip – Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), the technology behind this artificial lung, isn’t new, but its submission as a bridge to transplant is gaining traction due to improved techniques and patient selection.

transplant and Remarkable Recovery

Days later,suitable donor lungs became available,and surgeons successfully performed the double lung transplant. more than two years post-transplant, the patient is now living a normal life with excellent lung function, demonstrating the potential of this innovative “life bridge” strategy.

This case highlights the promise of extracorporeal support systems in extending the lives of patients awaiting lung transplantation and offers hope for those facing previously insurmountable challenges.

Why: A 33-year-old man in Chicago developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to the flu and bacterial pneumonia, leading to irreversible lung damage and organ failure.

Who: The patient was a 33-year-old man treated at Northwestern University in Chicago. The medical team was led by a thoracic surgeon who authored the study detailing the case.

What: Doctors used an extracorporeal artificial lung system to stabilize the patient and allow him to recover enough strength to undergo a double lung transplant.

How: The artificial lung oxygenated the blood and removed carbon dioxide, supporting the patient until donor lungs became available. The transplant was successful, and the patient has made a full recovery, living a normal life more than two years later.