Evaluation of characteristics and prognosis of COVID-19 patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation during dominance of nonvariant, alpha, delta, and omicron variants in tertiary hospitals of Japan.

BACKGROUND: In November 2021, the B.1.1.529 (omicron) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detected in South Africa and subsequently rapidly spread around the world. Despite the reduced severity of the omicron variants, many patients become severely ill after infection and undergo invasive mechanical ventilation, but there are few reports on their background and prognosis throughout all variant periods. This study aimed to evaluate risk factors affecting patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation with each variant of COVID-19 pandemic in Japan from nonvariants to omicron variants. METHOD: This retrospective observational study was conducted at the Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Kansai Medical University Hospital and Kansai Medical University Medical Center, Osaka, Japan, from March 2020 to March 2023. Eligible patients were those who underwent invasive ventilation for COVID-19 pneumonia. We set the primary endpoint as in-hospital mortality. Multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for clinically important variables was performed to evaluate the clinical outcomes. RESULTS: We included 377 patients: 118 in the Nonvariant group, 154 in the Alpha group, 42 in the Delta group, and 63 patients in the Omicron group. Mortality rates for each group were 23.7% for the Nonvariant group, 12.3% for the Alpha group, 7.1% for the Delta group, and 30.5% for the Omicron group. Patient age was significantly associated with increased mortality (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.097; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.057-0.138, P < 0.001). Immunodeficiency (AOR: 3.388, 95% CI: 1.377-8.333, P = 0.008), initial SOFA score (AOR: 1.190, 95% CI: 1.056-1.341, P = 0.004), dialysis prior to COVID-19 (AOR: 3.695, 95% CI: 1.117-11.663, P = 0.026), and smoking history (AOR: 2.548, 95% CI: 1.153-5.628, P = 0.021) were significantly associated with increased mortality. Differences in variants were not significant factors associated with high mortality. CONCLUSION: We compared the background and prognosis of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia requiring invasive mechanical ventilation between SARS-CoV-2 variants. In these patients, differences in variants did not affect prognosis. Hospital mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients was significantly higher in the older patients with bacterial coinfection, or patients with immunodeficiency, COPD, and chronic renal failure on dialysis.

Relationship between critical care nutrition and post-intensive care syndrome in surviving ventilated patients with COVID-19: a multicenter prospective observational study.

The impact of nutrition therapy in the acute phase on post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) remains unclear. We conducted a multicenter prospective study on adult patients with COVID-19 who required mechanical ventilation for more than three days. The questionnaire was mailed after discharge. Physical PICS, defined as less than 90 points on the Barthel index (BI), was assigned as the primary outcome. We examined the types of nutrition therapy in the first week that affected PICS components. 269 eligible patients were evaluated 10 months after discharge. Supplemental parenteral nutrition (SPN) >400 kcal/day correlated with a lower occurrence of physical PICS (10% vs 21.92%, p = 0.042), whereas the amounts of energy and protein provided, early enteral nutrition, and a gradual increase in nutrition delivery did not, and none correlated with cognitive or mental PICS. A multivariable regression analysis revealed that SPN had an independent impact on physical PICS (odds ratio 0.33, 95% CI 0.12-0.92, p = 0.034), even after adjustments for age, sex, body mass index and severity. Protein provision ≥1.2 g/kg/day was associated with a lower occurrence of physical PICS (odds ratio 0.42, 95% CI 0.16-1.08, p = 0.071). In conclusion, SPN in the acute phase had a positive impact on physical PICS for ventilated patients with COVID-19.

Treatment strategy for severe trauma patients requiring aortic occlusion for impending cardiopulmonary arrest in the hybrid emergency room.

Aim: Computed tomography (CT) is useful in trauma care. Severely ill trauma patients may not tolerate whole-body CT even without patient transfer. This study examined clinical flow of severe trauma patients requiring aortic occlusion (AO) such as resuscitative thoracotomy or REBOA in the hybrid emergency room (ER) and investigated patient clinical courses prioritizing CT first versus resuscitation including AO first. Methods: This retrospective, single-center observational study included consecutive trauma patients visiting our ER between May 2016 and February 2023. Patients were divided into the CT first group (whole-body CT preceded AO) and AO first group (AO preceded whole-body CT) and into two subgroups: AO after CT (AO/interventions for hemorrhage performed just after CT in the CT first group), and CT after AO (CT or damage control surgery performed after AO in the AO first group). We investigated 28-day survival rates. Results: Survival probability by TRISS method was 49% (range: 3.3-94) in the CT first group (n = 6) and 20% (range: 0.7-45) in the AO first group (n = 7). Actual 28-day survival rates were 50% and 57%, respectively. Survival rates of the AO after CT subgroup (CT first group) were 75% (3/4) and 0% (0/2), respectively, and those of the CT after AO subgroup (AO first group) were 25% (1/4) and 100% (3/3), respectively. Conclusion: In severe trauma patients with low predicted probability of survival treated in the hybrid ER, survival rates might be better if resuscitation including AO is performed before CT and if damage control surgery is performed first before CT.

Clinical experience of treatment of immunocompromised individuals with persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection based on drug resistance mutations determined by genomic analysis: a descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of antiviral drugs that neutralize antibody drugs and fight against SARS-COV-2 is reported to be attenuated by genetic mutations of the virus in vitro. When B-cell immunocompromised patients are infected with SARS-COV-2, the infection can be prolonged, and genetic mutations can occur during the course of treatment. Therefore, for refractory patients with persistent COVID-19 infection, genomic analysis was performed to obtain data on drug resistance mutations as a reference to determine which antiviral drugs and antibody therapies might be effective in their treatment. METHODS: This was a descriptive analysis with no controls. Patients were diagnosed as having COVID-19, examined, and treated in the Kansai Medical University General Medical Center between January 2022 and January 2023. The subjects of the study were B-cell immunocompromised patients in whom genome analysis of SARS-CoV-2 was performed. RESULTS: During the study period, 984 patients with COVID-19 were treated at our hospital. Of those, 17 refractory cases underwent genomic analysis. All 17 patients had factors related to immunodeficiency, such as malignant lymphoma or post-organ transplantation. Eleven patients started initial treatment for COVID-19 at our hospital, developed persistent infection, and underwent genomic analysis. Six patients who were initially treated for COVID-19 at other hospitals became persistently infected and were transferred to our hospital. Before COVID-19 treatment, genomic analysis showed no intrahost mutations in the NSP5, the NSP12, and the RBD regions. After COVID-19 treatment, mutations in these regions were found in 12 of 17 cases (71%). Sixteen patients survived the quarantine, but one died of sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: In genomic analysis, more mutations were found to be drug-resistant after COVID-19 treatment than before COVID-19 treatment. Although it was not possible to demonstrate the usefulness of genome analysis for clinical application, the change of the treatment drug with reference to drug resistance indicated by genomic analysis may lead to good outcome of immunocompromised COVID-19 patients.

Hybrid emergency room: Installation, establishment, and innovation in the emergency department.

A novel trauma workflow system called the hybrid emergency room (Hybrid ER) that combines a sliding computed tomography (CT) scanning system with interventional radiology features was first installed in Osaka General Medical Center in 2011. The Hybrid ER enables CT diagnosis and emergency therapeutic interventions without transferring the patient to another examination room. In this article, the history of CT in trauma care, the world's first installation of the Hybrid ER, clinical experiences, and evidence for the Hybrid ER in trauma workflow and nontrauma fields are summarized, and the future and innovation of the Hybrid ER are reviewed.

A descriptive study of abdominal complications in patients with mild COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department: a single-center experience in Japan during the omicron variant phase.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is widely known to induce a variety of extrapulmonary manifestations. Gastrointestinal symptoms have been identified as the most common extra-pulmonary manifestations of COVID-19, with an incidence reported to range from 3 to 61%. Although previous reports have addressed abdominal complications with COVID-19, these have not been adequately elucidated for the omicron variant. The aim of our study was to clarify the diagnosis of concomitant abdominal diseases in patients with mild COVID-19 who presented to hospital with abdominal symptoms during the sixth and seventh waves of the pandemic of the omicron variant in Japan. METHODS: This study was a retrospective, single-center, descriptive study. In total, 2291 consecutive patients with COVID-19 who visited the Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Kansai Medical University Medical Center, Osaka, Japan, between January 2022 and September 2022 were potentially eligible for the study. Patients delivered by ambulance or transferred from other hospitals were not included. We collected and described physical examination results, medical history, laboratory data, computed tomography findings and treatments. Data collected included diagnostic characteristics, abdominal symptoms, extra-abdominal symptoms and complicated diagnosis other than that of COVID-19 for abdominal symptoms. RESULTS: Abdominal symptoms were present in 183 patients with COVID-19. The number of patients with each abdominal symptom were as follows: nausea and vomiting (86/183, 47%), abdominal pain (63/183, 34%), diarrhea (61/183, 33%), gastrointestinal bleeding (20/183, 11%) and anorexia (6/183, 3.3%). Of these patients, 17 were diagnosed as having acute hemorrhagic colitis, five had drug-induced adverse events, two had retroperitoneal hemorrhage, two had appendicitis, two had choledocholithiasis, two had constipation, and two had anuresis, among others. The localization of acute hemorrhagic colitis was the left-sided colon in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that acute hemorrhagic colitis was characteristic in mild cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 with gastrointestinal bleeding. When examining patients with mild COVID-19 with gastrointestinal bleeding, the potential for acute hemorrhagic colitis should be kept in mind.

Prevalence and Risk Factor Analysis of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome in Patients with COVID-19 Requiring Mechanical Ventilation: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) is an emerging problem in critically ill patients and the prevalence and risk factors are unclear in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This multicenter prospective observational study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of PICS in ventilated patients with COVID-19 after ICU discharge. METHODS: Questionnaires were administered twice in surviving patients with COVID-19 who had required mechanical ventilation, concerning Barthel Index, Short-Memory Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores. The risk factors for PICS were examined using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The first and second PICS surveys were obtained at 5.5 and 13.5 months (mean) after ICU discharge, with 251 and 209 patients completing the questionnaires and with a prevalence of PICS of 58.6% and 60.8%, respectively, along with the highest percentages of cognitive impairment. Delirium (with an odds ratio of (OR) 2.34, 95% CI 1.1-4.9, and p = 0.03) and the duration of mechanical ventilation (with an OR of 1.29, 95% CI 1.05-1.58, and p = 0.02) were independently identified as the risk factors for PICS in the first PICS survey. CONCLUSION: Approximately 60% of the ventilated patients with COVID-19 experienced persistent PICS, especially delirium, and required longer mechanical ventilation.

Novel treatment combining antiviral and neutralizing antibody-based therapies with monitoring of spike-specific antibody and viral load for immunocompromised patients with persistent COVID-19 infection.

Because prolonged viral replication of SARS-CoV-2 is increasingly being recognized among immunocompromised patients, subacute or chronic COVID-19 pneumonia can cause persistent lung damage and may lead to viral escape phenomena. Highly efficacious antiviral therapies in immunosuppressed hosts with COVID-19 are urgently needed. From February 2022, we introduced novel treatment combining antiviral therapies and neutralizing antibodies with frequent monitoring of spike-specific antibody and RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values as indicators of viral load for immunocompromised patients with persistent COVID-19 infection. We applied this treatment to 10 immunosuppressed patients with COVID-19, and all completed treatment without relapse of infection. This may be a potentially successful treatment strategy that enables us to sustain viral clearance, determine optimal timing to stop treatment, and prevent virus reactivation in immunocompromised patients with persistent COVID-19.

Peak value of serum KL-6 may be useful for predicting poor prognosis of severe COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: Serum Krebs von den Lungen 6 (KL-6), which reflects alveolar epithelial injury, was reported to be useful to predict the progression of pneumonitis induced by COVID-19 in the early phase. This study aimed to evaluate the peak value of serum KL-6 during hospitalization for COVID-19 to discover a more useful biomarker for predicting prognosis in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: In this retrospective, single-center, observational study, we analyzed the data of 147 hospitalized patients who required supplemental oxygen, high-flow oxygen therapy, or invasive mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure due to COVID-19 from March 2020 to February 2021. We extracted data on patient sex, age, comorbidities, treatment, and biomarkers including the initial and peak values of KL-6. Inclusion criteria were examination of the studied biomarkers at least once within 3 days of admission, then at least once a week, and at a minimum, at least twice during the entire hospitalization. Area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was analyzed to determine the accuracy of several biomarkers including KL-6 and LDH for predicting poor prognosis defined as survivors requiring invasive mechanical ventilation for over 28 days or non-survivors of COVID-19. Univariable and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the prognostic value of the baseline characteristics and biomarkers. RESULTS: Among the 147 patients, 108 (73.5%) had a good prognosis and 39 (26.5%) had a poor prognosis. The AUC analysis indicated that peak KL-6 showed precise accuracy in the discrimination of patients with poor prognosis (AUC 0.89, p < 0.001). The best cut-off value for KL-6 concentration was 966 U/mL (sensitivity 81.6%, specificity84.3%). After adjustment, increasing peak values of KL-6 or LDH were associated with a high risk of poor prognosis, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.35 for peak value of KL-6, per 100 U/mL increase (95% CI 1.17-1.57, p < 0.001) and 2.16 for peak value of LDH, per 100 U/L increase (95% CI 1.46-3.20, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Peak values of KL-6 and LDH measured during hospitalization might help to identify COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure who are at higher risk for a poor prognosis.

Relation between nutrition therapy in the acute phase and outcomes of ventilated patients with COVID-19 infection: a multicenter prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Optimal nutrition therapy has not yet been established for the acute phase of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the effects of nutrition delivery in the acute phase on mortality and the long-term outcomes of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). METHODS: A multicenter prospective study was conducted on adult patients with COVID-19 infection requiring mechanical ventilation during an intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Daily total energy (kcal/kg) and protein (g/kg) deliveries in the first week of the ICU stay were calculated. The questionnaire for PICS evaluation was mailed within a median of 6 mo after hospital discharge. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes were the PICS components of physical impairment, cognitive dysfunction, and mental illness. RESULTS: Among 414 eligible patients, 297 who received mechanical ventilation for 7 d or longer were examined. PICS was evaluated in 175 patients among them. High protein delivery on days 4-7 correlated with a low in-hospital mortality rate. In contrast, high protein delivery on days 1-3 correlated with physical impairment. A multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, BMI, and severity revealed that average energy and protein deliveries on days 4-7 correlated with decreased in-hospital mortality (OR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.89, 0.99; P = 0.013 and OR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.93; P = 0.031, respectively). Nutrition delivery did not correlate with PICS outcomes after adjustments. In the multivariate regression using a restricted cubic spline model, in-hospital mortality monotonically decreased with increases in average nutrition delivery on days 4-7. CONCLUSIONS: In patents with COVID-19 on mechanical ventilation for ≥7 d, nutrition delivery in the late period of the acute phase was monotonically associated with a decrease in in-hospital mortality. Adequate protein delivery is needed on days 4-7.This trial was registered at https://www.umin.ac.jp as UMIN000041276.

[Long-Term Survival for a Patient with Stageâ £ Gastric Cancer with Multiple Liver Metastases for Ten Years Who Was Treated with Only S-1Chemotherapy].

An 82-year-old woman presented with a dull feeling in her stomach and anemia. The gastroscopy and abdominal CT scan showed a progressive gastric tumor with multiple liver metastases, and a biopsy specimen revealed moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. A subtotal gastrectomy with D1 plus lymph node dissection was performed. The final diagnosis was as follows: H1, P0, CY0, M1, pT3, pN2, and fStageⅣ. We considered her age, and postoperative chemotherapy with of an oral anticancer drug, S-1, was initiated at a daily dose of 100 mg, with a 2-week administration and 1-week suspension schedule. The multiple liver metastases obviously reduced in size(PR)by 3 months, and the CT scan revealed complete response(CR)by 8 months after beginning S-1 administration. However, grade 2 anorexia and general malaise developed, so the S-1 administration was changed to a daily dose of 80 mg, with a 2-week administration and 2-week suspension schedule. However, an adverse event of nausea appeared again, and the patient needed a 2-month discontinuation. Therefore, S-1 administration was changed to alternate-day administration, at a daily dose of 100 mg. Subsequently, no side effects were observed, and we continued the S-1 administration for 4 years. She has maintained a complete response(CR) for 10 years, with no obvious cancer recurrence.

A paediatric case of severe tracheobronchial injury successfully treated surgically after early CT diagnosis and ECMO safely performed in the hybrid emergency room.

BACKGROUND: In paediatric trauma patients, tracheobronchial injury can be a rare, life-threatening trauma. In 2011, we instituted a new trauma workflow concept called the hybrid emergency room (Hybrid ER) that combines a sliding CT scanning system with interventional radiology features to permit CT examination and emergency therapeutic intervention without moving the patient. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can lead to cannula-related complications. However, procedures supported by moveable C-arm fluoroscopy and ultrasonography equipment can be performed soon after early CT examination. We report a paediatric patient with tracheobronchial injury diagnosed by CT examination who underwent rapid resuscitation and safe installation of veno-venous (VV) ECMO in our Hybrid ER and was successfully treated by surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: A 11-year-old boy was admitted to our Hybrid ER suffering blunt chest trauma. His vital signs were unstable with low oxygen saturation. Early CT examination was performed without relocation. CT revealed bilateral hemopneumothorax, bilateral lung contusion, left multiple rib fractures, and right bronchus intermedius injury. Because his oxygenation was severely low with a PaO2/FiO2 ratio (P/F) of 109, he was at very high risk during transport to the operating room and changing to one-lung ventilation. Thus, we established VV ECMO in the Hybrid ER before we performed thoracotomy under left lung ventilation in the operating room. After the P/F ratio improved, he was transferred to the operating room under VV ECMO. We performed middle- and lower-lobe resection and sutured the stump of the right bronchus intermedius to treat the complete tear of this branch. After his respiratory function recovered, VV ECMO was removed on postoperative day 5. After in-patient rehabilitation, he was discharged home on postoperative day 68 without sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to perform VV ECMO in the Hybrid ER, but one case does not conclude it is safe. In this case, the blood oxygenation improved, but there are no evidence to support the safety of the procedure or the advantage of ECMO initiation in the Hybrid ER rather than in the operating room.

[A Case of Abdominal Compartment Syndrome after Laparotomy for Peritonitis Caused by Colon Perforation Due to Gallbladder Carcinoma].

A70 -year-old man with a diagnosis of panperitonitis caused by colon perforation due to invasion of gallbladder cancer was transferred to our hospital. The next day, an emergency operation was performed. During laparotomy, the ascending colon was perforated; therefore, ileocecal resection was performed. Six hours after the operation, the stoma became ischemic with marked abdominal distention. The intra-abdominal pressure increased to 28 mmHg, and the patient was diagnosed as having abdominal compartment syndrome(ACS). He immediately underwent decompressive laparotomy at bedside. Multiple organ failure was avoided and he recovered, but he died of advanced gallbladder cancer 4 months after the surgery. This case suggests that immediate surgical decompressive laparotomy for ACS can prevent multiple organ failure.

First installation of a dual-room IVR-CT system in the emergency room.

Computed tomography (CT) embedded in the emergency room has gained importance in the early diagnostic phase of trauma care. In 2011, we implemented a new trauma workflow concept with a sliding CT scanner system with interventional radiology features (IVR-CT) that allows CT examination and emergency therapeutic intervention without relocating the patient, which we call the Hybrid emergency room (Hybrid ER). In the Hybrid ER, all life-saving procedures, CT examination, damage control surgery, and transcatheter arterial embolisation can be performed on the same table. Although the trauma workflow realized in the Hybrid ER may improve mortality in severe trauma, the Hybrid ER can potentially affect the efficacy of other in/outpatient diagnostic workflow because one room is occupied by one severely injured patient undergoing both emergency trauma care and CT scanning for long periods. In July 2017, we implemented a new trauma workflow concept with a dual-room sliding CT scanner system with interventional radiology features (dual-room IVR-CT) to increase patient throughput. When we perform emergency surgery or interventional radiology for a severely injured or ill patient in the Hybrid ER, the sliding CT scanner moves to the adjacent CT suite, and we can perform CT scanning of another in/outpatient. We believe that dual-room IVR-CT can contribute to the improvement of both the survival of severely injured or ill patients and patient throughput.

Idarucizumab for a traumatic head injury patient taking dabigatran.

BACKGROUND: Dabigatran is one of the four drugs currently used as a direct oral anticoagulant in Japan. Idarucizumab, which specifically targets dabigatran, was recently approved in Japan. We present a case of intracranial hemorrhage in a traumatic brain injury patient taking dabigatran who was treated by administering idarucizumab. CASE PRESENTATION: A 72-year-old man was injured in a traffic accident and was transferred to our emergency room. On arrival, his Glasgow Coma Scale score was 14 (eye, 3; verbal, 5; motor, 6), and his other vital signs were stable. Computed tomography (CT) imaging on arrival showed a small intracranial hematoma. A second CT 3 h later revealed expansion of the hematoma. We received information that he was taking dabigatran only after the second CT. Idarucizumab was then promptly administered, and emergency craniotomy for hematoma removal was performed. There was no tendency for bleeding during the operation, and blood transfusion was not required during the perioperative period. Although the patient underwent additional surgery for subdural effusion and hydrocephalus, his postoperative course was uneventful. He was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital on postoperative day 102. CONCLUSION: We managed a patient taking dabigatran who suffered traumatic intracranial hemorrhage by administering idarucizumab preoperatively without the need for blood transfusion perioperatively. We suggest that idarucizumab could be a potent therapeutic bridge to definitive surgical management in such patients with traumatic brain injury who are taking dabigatran.

A case of blunt thoracic aortic injury requiring ECMO for acute malperfusion before TEVAR.

BACKGROUND: Blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is associated with a high mortality rate and the paradigm of treating patients with BTAI currently favours thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) if possible. In BTAI, lethal malperfusion caused by a pseudoaneurysm has rarely been reported. We present the first report of a successful case in which a pseudoaneurysm causing the infrequent occurrence of lethal malperfusion and subsequent acute severe ischaemia in the distal portion of the thoracic descending aorta was overcome by veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) as a bridging therapy until the initiation of TEVAR. CASE PRESENTATION: An adult woman was transferred to our emergency room after injuries sustained by falling from height. Her vital signs were unstable on admission. CT examination revealed the multiple injuries: traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage, severe unstable pelvic fracture, and a grade III injury of the thoracic aorta. We made the decision to perform TEVAR after external fixation and transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for the pelvic injury. During preparations for TEVAR, her lower limbs rapidly felt cold, and her blood lactate level and serum potassium rapidly increased. By the clinical data and ultrasonography and lower extremity Doppler, we diagnosed severe ischaemia in distal portion of the descending aorta caused by a pseudoaneurysm proximal to the descending thoracic aorta. Because we still had not prepared for TEVAR, we immediately started VA ECMO until TEVAR could begin. After the initiation of VA ECMO, her lactate and potassium levels could be controlled. Under VA ECMO support, she underwent TEVAR. After inpatient rehabilitation, she was discharged home without neurologic sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: VA ECMO could be an important, less-invasive treatment as a bridging therapy for acute severe malperfusion syndrome until TEVAR is initiated for BTAI.