David Willms

Acute respiratory distress syndrome in pregnancy and the puerperium: causes, courses, and outcomes.

Objective To describe causes, courses, complications, and outcomes of patients with pregnancy-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Methods Twenty-eight women with ARDS during pregnancy or within a week postpartum formed the study population. Eight cases had been reported previously. Charts were abstracted for maternal demographics, etiology, and treatment of acute RDS, and maternal outcomes. For antepartum acute RDS, newborn charts were also reviewed. Results The incidence of acute RDS, excluding maternal transports, was one per 6277 deliveries or 0.016% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0, 0.027%). Leading causes were infection (12 cases), preeclampsia or eclampsia (seven cases), and aspiration (three cases). Eleven mothers died, a maternal mortality rate of 39.3% (CI 21.5%, 59.4%). Six of eight women who were ventilated for over 14 days survived. Nine of the acute RDS cases might have been preventable. Ten mothers with living fetuses were ventilated during the third trimester; nine delivered within 4 days. Among six infants delivered because of fetal heart rate abnormalities, one died and at least three had evidence of asphyxia. Conclusions Acute RDS occurs more frequently in pregnancy than the 1.5 cases per 100,000 per year reported for the general population. Prolonged ventilator support is warranted. The high rate of perinatal asphyxia in infants who have fetal heart rate abnormalities supports a strategy of expeditious delivery during the third trimester.

Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Pregnancy: Report of Three Cases and Review of the Literature

Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is rarely encountered in association with pregnancy, but with the decline in other causes of maternal death, is an increasingly important cause of mortality in obstetric patients. ARDS may result from a variety of different types of pulmonary injury; uniquely obstetric causes include preeclampsia, amnionitis-endometritis, obstetric hemorrhage, and tocolytic therapy. Crucial management issues include support of maternal oxygenation and cardiac output, myriad interactions between the pulmonary process and its treatment, with maternal and fetal physiology, and decision making regarding delivery. Our review of the literature suggests that, for the patient requiring antepartum intubation for ARDS, except at a very early gestational age or when pyelonephritis or varicella pneumonia is a cause of respiratory compromise, delivery will likely be required for maternal and/or fetal indications, and an early decision for delivery may be beneficial. Postpartum management is similar to treatment of the nonpregnant patient with ARDS, with aggressive attention to potential surgically correctable causes for infection. Maternal mortality rates are affected little by duration of intubation, and therefore prolonged mechanical ventilation is justified and appropriate for mothers with ARDS.

Emergency Bedside Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Rescue of Acute Tracheal Obstruction

A 39-year-old man experienced total obstruction of a distal tracheal plastic stent by a tumor mass, preventing effective ventilation and resulting in cardiac arrest. Resuscitation by emergency bedside venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) permitted time to physically remove the obstructing tumor and reestablish successful ventilation and liberation from ventilatory support. We review several other reported cases of emergency ECMO to resuscitate patients with acute airway obstruction.

Venovenous extracorporeal life support in traumatic bronchial disruption and adult respiratory distress syndrome using surface-heparinized equipment : case report

Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal was utilized to support a patient with traumatic bronchial disruption and associated injuries. With use of surface-heparinized perfusion equipment, low levels of anticoagulation were maintained allowing surgical repair of the bronchial injury and recovery from acute respiratory failure without significant hemorrhage.