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Critical Care
Published in: Critical Care 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | SARS-CoV-2 | Review

COVID-19 and ECMO: the interplay between coagulation and inflammation—a narrative review

Authors: Mariusz Kowalewski, Dario Fina, Artur Słomka, Giuseppe Maria Raffa, Gennaro Martucci, Valeria Lo Coco, Maria Elena De Piero, Marco Ranucci, Piotr Suwalski, Roberto Lorusso

Published in: Critical Care | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has presently become a rapidly spreading and devastating global pandemic. Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) may serve as life-saving rescue therapy for refractory respiratory failure in the setting of acute respiratory compromise such as that induced by SARS-CoV-2. While still little is known on the true efficacy of ECMO in this setting, the natural resemblance of seasonal influenza’s characteristics with respect to acute onset, initial symptoms, and some complications prompt to ECMO implantation in most severe, pulmonary decompensated patients. The present review summarizes the evidence on ECMO management of severe ARDS in light of recent COVID-19 pandemic, at the same time focusing on differences and similarities between SARS-CoV-2 and ECMO in terms of hematological and inflammatory interplay when these two settings merge.
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Metadata
Title
COVID-19 and ECMO: the interplay between coagulation and inflammation—a narrative review
Authors
Mariusz Kowalewski
Dario Fina
Artur Słomka
Giuseppe Maria Raffa
Gennaro Martucci
Valeria Lo Coco
Maria Elena De Piero
Marco Ranucci
Piotr Suwalski
Roberto Lorusso
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Critical Care / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1364-8535
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-020-02925-3

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