Paramedics found this 59-year-old female with dyspnea and an oxygenation of 65% on room air and performed immediate tracheal intubation. Moderate ARDS with reduced lung compliance was diagnosed and treated with deep sedation, neuromuscular blocking agents, and prone positioning.\nOn day 14, a trial of sitting on the edge-of-bed (SOEB) was performed, while she was still intubated and under pressure support ventilation. SOEB required 3 physical therapists to maintain the position, but resulted in a significant increase in her level of consciousness and collaborative state. The next day, she was able to hold her head and sit for about 15 minutes with 2 therapists. Her muscle strength indicated ICU-acquired weakness, with a Medical Research Council sum-score (MRC-SS) of 40/60; still she continued with small but consistent improvements and started to participate actively in physical therapy sessions. She was encouraged to mobilize herself with exercises against gravity and was actively transferred to a chair each day with the help of 2 physical therapists. She was successfully extubated, but presented postextubation dysphagia. The physical therapy team closely monitored her for secretion management and cough stimulation and continued her physical rehabilitation. On day 19, she started to walk with a walking aid, although at this point oxygen desaturation during exercise training became evident (89% with 3 L/min of oxygen). After 25 days, she was transferred to the institution’s rehabilitation facilities, where a battery of tests indicated persistent physical function impairment (MRC-SS 52/60, physical function ICU test score17 9/12, Timed Up & Go 23 seconds, short physical performance battery 4/12).
This 57-year-old male was admitted to the ICU with dyspnea, heavy dry cough, and fever 6 days after testing positive for COVID-19. Initially, he was able to exercise and sit in a chair with a physical therapist, but progressive respiratory failure necessitated intubation and proning. The patient had large amounts of bronchial mucus and required regular suctioning along with respiratory therapy. Secretions were assessed with pulmonary auscultation (presence of crackles) and by analyzing expiratory flow on the ventilator (sawtooth pattern). When suctioning failed to improve these clinical signs, 1 to 2 physical therapists used manual airway clearance techniques. The goal of these techniques was to sufficiently increase expiratory flow for effective airway clearance while avoiding alveolar collapse. To achieve this, manual compressions on the chest and abdomen were performed with just enough intensity to modify expiratory flow. After extubation, the patient was still unable to effectively clear his mucus due to weak cough. He continued to need intensive manual airway clearance techniques, nasal rinsing to induce cough and to help expectoration as well as upper and lower airway suctioning. To this end, the patient was treated up to 6 times per day/night. Additional physical therapist interventions included passive range of motion, assisted exercising, and mobilization. At the time of writing, the patient was still in the ICU without ventilatory support.