High Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygenation Successfully Used as Bridge Therapy for Systemic Thrombolysis in COVID-19 Associated Intermediate-high Risk Pulmonary Embolism.

ABSTRACT

The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in COVID-19 patients is a growing problem. Thromboembolic complications are associated with the infection by SARSCoV-2, with an estimated incidence up to 25%-30% of VTE in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Here in, we present a case of a patient with severe pneumonia due to COVID-19 who is admitted with mild pneumothorax secondary to COVID-19 and high-intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE), who underwent successfully a highflow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygenation bridge with subsequent successful half-doses of systemic thrombolysis with intravenous alteplase. Prospective studies are warranted in this subset of patients with intermediate-high and high-risk PE, to further explore HFNC oxygenation with or without diverse reperfusion strategies, with the aim to identify the best individualized therapeutic approach in each patient with significant COVID-19 associated VTE and optimize outcomes.