Successful extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy in a child with coronavirus 2019 disease-associated ARDS and chemotherapy for Ewing’s sarcoma

Abstract

Most children and adolescents with SARS-CoV-2 infection show no or mild symptoms, but those with medical histories can be susceptible to more severe forms of disease. There are few reported cases of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in pediatric patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We present a previously healthy 13-year-old male diagnosed with metastatic Ewing’s sarcoma at the same time as catastrophic acute respiratory distress syndrome due to COVID-19, who was successfully supported by venovenous-ECMO while he received the corresponding chemotherapy protocol.

ECMO can be used as salvage therapy in oncology pediatric patients with respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19. In addition, successful chemotherapy can be administered while patients are supported on ECMO.