Abstract
Background: The incidence of thrombotic complications is extremely high among severe coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) patients in the intensive care unit. Various factors such as a cytokine storm due to an excessive immune response to inflammation, hypoxemia, and disseminated intravascular coagulation are considered predisposing factors for thrombotic complications.Case presentation: A 55-year-old Japanese man intubated 8 days previously was referred to our hospital because of a severe COVID-19 pneumonia diagnosis after his pharyngeal swab tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The patient continued to remain hypoxic (PaO2/FiO2 ratio <100 mmHg) at the referring hospital. On admission, we initiated veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO). Unfractionated heparin and nafamostat mesylate were used as anticoagulants during VV-ECMO. Despite the adequate anticoagulant therapy, he developed pulmonary infarction due to pulmonary embolism followed by hemoptysis. On day 10 following admission, his oxygen saturation dropped from 95% to 88%, with a marked decrease in his ventilator tidal volume, accompanied by an inability to ventilate the patient. Thereafter, we increased the VV-ECMO flow and exchanged his endotracheal tube. The lumen of the removed tracheal tube was found to be occluded by a large-sized blood coagulum. There was no further episode of tube occlusion. The patient was discharged in a walkable state on day 39 following admission. Conclusions: Endotracheal tube obstruction secondary to hemoptysis should be suggested in patients with COVID-19 requiring ventilator support, as they are not able to perform frequent endotracheal tube suctions owing to the risk of infection.
Tracheal Tube Obstruction Due to Hemoptysis Associated With Pulmonary Infarction in a Patient With Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia
