Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and severe acute respiratory distress secondary to Legionella: 10 year experience.

[legionellosis]

Legionella-associated respiratory failure has a high mortality , despite modern ventilation modalities . Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO ) is used to achieve gas exchange independent of pulmonary function in patients with severe respiratory failure . This was a retrospective review of the management and outcome of patients with Legionella-associated respiratory failure treated with ECMO support in a large ECMO center over the past 10 years . A retrospective review of patients with confirmed Legionella-associated severe respiratory failure managed with ECMO support at a single center . Between 2000 and 2010 , 19 patients with severe respiratory failure caused by Legionella were managed with ECMO after failure to respond to conventional intensive care management . Median PaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio was 66 and median pCO 2 was 60 torr . Sixteen patients (84 %) survived to hospital discharge . Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should be considered in patients with Legionella-associated respiratory failure , who have failed conventional ventilation .