H1N1 Influenza Patient Saved by Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: First Report from Iran

Respiratory failure is a serious complication of H1N1 influenza that, if not properly managed, can cause death. When mechanical ventilation is not effective, the only way to save the patient’s life is extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A prolonged type of cardiopulmonary bypass, ECMO is a high-cost management modality compared to other conventional types and its maintenance requires skilled personnel. Such staff usually comprises the members of open-heart surgical teams. Herein, we describe a patient with H1N1 influenza and severe respiratory failure not improved by mechanical ventilation who was admitted to Masih Daneshvari Medical Center in March 2015. She was placed on ECMO, from which she was successfully weaned 9 days later. The patient was discharged from the hospital after 52 days. Follow-up till 11 months after discharge revealed completely active life with no problem. There should be a close collaboration among infectious disease specialists, cardiac anesthetists, cardiac surgeons, and intensivists for the correct timing of ECMO placement, subsequent weaning, and care of the patient. This team work was the key to our success story. This is the first patient to survive H1N1 with the use of ECMO in Iran.