First lung transplant in Wuhan for a critical and elderly COVID-19 patient

Introduction: We report the case of a 65-year-old Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient with pneumonia and subsequent end-stage pulmonary failure who required 63 days of mechanical ventilation (MV) and 62 days of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Methods: On Day 45, a comprehensive interdisciplinary discussion on the best course of treatment resulted in the general consensus that his lungs would not recover. As such, he was evaluated and listed for a lung transplant. Results: We performed a bilateral lung transplant, and the patient was weaned off ECMO and MV postoperatively. This is the first report of lung transplants in patients with COVID-19 in Wuhan. Conclusions: We suggest that a lung transplantation may be a viable treatment for patients with end-stage pulmonary failure secondary to COVID-19 in selected situations.

Automated summary

This case report describes a 65-year-old COVID-19 patient with end-stage pulmonary failure who underwent a successful bilateral lung transplant, becoming the first case of lung transplant in COVID-19 patients in Wuhan. The patient was successfully weaned off ECMO and MV postoperatively, suggesting that lung transplantation may be a viable treatment option for selected COVID-19 patients with severe pulmonary complications.