Successful extracorporeal life support using a new micro-diagonal pump in a child with acute laryngotracheobronchitis, lung failure, and untractable septic shock

Acute viral laryngotracheitis, the so-called “croup,” is a widely known disease in pediatric medicine. Unless there are no signs of respiratory distress, children are treated ambulatory. Few of them require hospitalization and only 1% must be intubated because of respiratory failure. Bacterial pneumonia may complicate viral laryngotracheitis and adversely influence outcome. Even properly managed, viral laryngotracheitis can occasionally result in death, particularly in young infants.