• Moronke A Noah, Geethanjali Ramachandra, Margaret M Hickey, David R Jenkins, Chris J Harvey, Claire A Westrope, Richard K Firmin, and Giles J Peek.
• Heartlink ECMO Centre, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK. abinoah@doctors.org.uk
• ASAIO J. 2013 May 1;59(3):328-30.

AbstractLegionella-associated respiratory failure has a high mortality, despite modern ventilation modalities. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used to achieve gas exchange independent of pulmonary function in patients with severe respiratory failure. This was a retrospective review of the management and outcome of patients with Legionella-associated respiratory failure treated with ECMO support in a large ECMO center over the past 10 years. A retrospective review of patients with confirmed Legionella-associated severe respiratory failure managed with ECMO support at a single center. Between 2000 and 2010, 19 patients with severe respiratory failure caused by Legionella were managed with ECMO after failure to respond to conventional intensive care management. Median PaO2/FiO2 ratio was 66 and median pCO2 was 60 torr. Sixteen patients (84%) survived to hospital discharge. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should be considered in patients with Legionella-associated respiratory failure, who have failed conventional ventilation.

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