A 58-year-old man, incapable of maintaining oxygen saturation with mechanical ventilation, was admitted to our hospital for veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment. He was diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to influenza A pneumonia. His condition stabilized with antibiotics and steroid administration, but weaning from ECMO failed due to post-infectious pulmonary sequelae. On day 84 after admission, he underwent bilateral lung transplantation. In the postoperative phase, he did not regain consciousness even after discontinuation of sedatives for 3 days. However, spontaneous pupillary reflex and eye movements were preserved, while communication and upper and lower limb movements were affected. The nerve conduction study was diagnostic of Guillain-Barré syndrome. He was managed with intravenous immunoglobulins and plasmapheresis. Mild recovery of the facial muscles was seen, but he died 24 days post-surgery due to progressive ARDS and sepsis.
Keywords: Acute respiratory distress syndrome; Case report; Complication; Extracorporeal circulation; Guillain-Barre syndrome; Lung transplantation.