One patient suffering from pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus is expected to recover after receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, a local hospital said Wednesday.
The male patient surnamed Hu, 53, was in critical condition after being transferred to Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University on Jan. 17, where he was given ECMO support, according to the hospital.
ECMO works as an artificial lung that can "replace" the patients' lungs which have been seriously damaged by the virus, allowing them to rest and receive treatment, said Xia Jian, deputy head of the hospital's emergency department.
As the lungs gradually recover and resume normal functions, the ECMO support will not be needed, Xia added.
The patient was no longer in critical condition Tuesday with improved lung functions, and is expected to recover and leave the hospital this week, according to the hospital.
"The ECMO technology adds a path for treating pneumonia patients with novel coronavirus. However, its application is relatively narrow as it's only used on patients in critical condition," Xia said.
