Open AccessPhysiotherapy approach after lung transplantation in a critically ill COVID-19 patient: a case report
Author(s) -
Verónica Rossi,
Serena Tammaro,
Martina Santambrogio,
Mariangela Retucci,
Francesca Gallo,
Stefania Crotti,
Marco Mantero,
Mario Nosotti,
Emilia Privitera,
Alessandro Palleschi
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
monaldi archives for chest disease. pulmonary series/monaldi archives for chest disease/monaldi archives for chest disease. cardiac series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.196
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 2465-101X
pISSN - 1122-0643
DOI - 10.4081/monaldi.2021.2004
Subject(s) - medicine , lung transplantation , mechanical ventilation , extracorporeal membrane oxygenation , weaning , quality of life (healthcare) , ventilation (architecture) , transplantation , covid-19 , intensive care medicine , physical therapy , anesthesia , surgery , disease , nursing , mechanical engineering , infectious disease (medical specialty) , engineering
This study describes the case of an 18-years-old male affected by severe COVID-19, who was receiving bilateral lung transplantation (LT), after 71 days of mechanical ventilation and 55 days of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. From post-operative day 2, early mobilization and physiotherapy treatments were performed. Weaning from mechanical ventilation, the use of non-invasive ventilation and tracheostomy management were included in the treatment. Forty-five days after LT the patient was discharged at home, showing improvements in terms of functional and respiratory parameters, quality of life and mood. While evidences about physiotherapy treatments in lung transplantation post severe COVID-19 remain limited, early approach and a multidisciplinary team may be considered key elements for functional recovery of these subjects.