[Severe exacerbation of COPD requiring ventilation : Use of vv‑ECMO combined with inhalation anesthetics].

A 58-year male patient was admitted to the intensive care unit of our hospital due to an exacerbated COPD (GOLD IV) complicated by a pneumonia. The clinical course deteriorated despite of evidence based intensive care treatment and lungprotective ventilation, a vv-ECMO and a volatile sedation were established. After a few days vv-ECMO could be discontinued and the patient was discharged from hospital after 20 days.Our case report suggests that early support with vv-ECMO could reduce the cumulative duration of invasive ventilation in case of severe COPD exacerbation. The combination with volatile sedatives make it possible to guide the patient to spontaneous breathing with only a short weaning periode.