Persevering With Prone Ventilation in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia

As well as placing unprecedented demands on resources and staff involved in the care of these patients, there has been significant uncertainty regarding the optimal management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia. Randomized controlled trials have shown clear benefits of both neuromuscular blockade and prone positioning in treating moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, as defined by the Berlin Criteria. CASE SUMMARY: We present a case of a 53-year-old patient with a severe coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia who has made a remarkable recovery following a turbulent period on intensive care. During his stay, he was prone positioned on 16 consecutive occasions and is an exemplar of the many patients we treated who benefited considerably from this intervention. CONCLUSION: We believe that sustained administration of prone position ventilation was instrumental in saving his life. While there is associated morbidity, we encourage clinicians to continue with this strategy beyond their normal practice.