Intraoperative care of elderly patients with COVID-19 undergoing double lung transplantation: Two case reports

BACKGROUND: Lung transplantation is considered an effective method for treating patients with end-stage coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The nurses play a pivotal role in lung transplantation for COVID-19 patients. CASE SUMMARY: Two elderly patients were admitted to the emergency department due to cough, and the nucleic acid test was positive. The patients were preliminarily diagnosed with COVID-19. The chest computed tomography scan revealed massive lung consolidation, and the patients did not improve after treatment with antiviral drugs, glucocorticoids, antibiotics, and other drugs. Under the support of pure oxygen in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, the patients’ oxygen levels were still poor, indicating that they were in the terminal stage of viral pneumonia. The patients underwent double-lung transplantation and received intraoperative care. The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device was removed within a week of the surgical procedure, and the respiratory circulation of the patients were stabilized. CONCLUSION: High-quality care for COVID-19 patients undergoing lung transplantation ensures patient safety during operation while protecting the safety of the medical staff.