Inhaled Epoprostenol to Facilitate Safe Transport in Legionnaires' Disease. Issue 1 (9th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Foster, Corrine; Frakes, Michael A.; Puopolo, Erica; McNulty, Francis; Saia, Mark S.; Hourihan, Mike; Flynn, Margaret; Wilcox, Susan R.
• Is Part Of: Prehospital and disaster medicine. Volume 35:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 109
• Page End: 114
• Publication Date: 2020-02-09
• Subjects: acute respiratory distress syndrome, -- hypoxemia, -- inhaled epoprostenol, -- Legionnaires' disease, -- Legionella; Emergency medical services -- Periodicals; Emergency medicine -- Periodicals; Disaster medicine -- Periodicals; 616.025
• DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X19005211
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1049-023X

Abstract

Abstract: Hypoxemic patients often desaturate further with movement and transport. While inhaled epoprostenol does not improve mortality, improving oxygenation allows for transport of severely hypoxemic patients to tertiary care centers with a related improvement in mortality rates. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use is increasing in frequency for patients with refractory hypoxemia, and with increasing regionalization of care, safe transport of hypoxemic patients only becomes more important. In this series, four cases are presented of young patients with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure from Legionnaires' disease transported on inhaled epoprostenol to ECMO centers for consideration of cannulation. With continued climate changes, Legionella and other pathogens are likely to be a continued threat. As such, optimizing oxygenation to allow for transport should continue to be a priority for critical care transport (CCT) services.