Background: Hyperoxia is common during liver transplantation (LT), without being supported by any guidelines. Recent studies have shown the potential deleterious effect of hyperoxia in similar models of ischemia–reperfusion. Hyperoxia after graft reperfusion during orthotopic LT could increase lactate levels and worsen patient outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective and monocentric pilot study. All adult patients who underwent LT from 26 July 2013 to 26 December 2017 were considered for inclusion. Patients were classified into two groups according to oxygen levels before graft reperfusion: the hyperoxic group (PaO2 > 200 mmHg) and the nonhyperoxic group (PaO2 < 200 mmHg). The primary endpoint was arterial lactatemia 15 min after graft revascularization. Secondary endpoints included postoperative clinical outcomes and laboratory data. Results: A total of 222 liver transplant recipients were included. Arterial lactatemia after graft revascularization was significantly higher in the hyperoxic group (6.03 ± 4 mmol/L) than in the nonhyperoxic group (4.81 ± 2 mmol/L), p < 0.01. The postoperative hepatic cytolysis peak, duration of mechanical ventilation and duration of ileus were significantly increased in the hyperoxic group. Conclusions: In the hyperoxic group, the arterial lactatemia, the hepatic cytolysis peak, the mechanical ventilation and the postoperative ileus were higher than in the nonhyperoxic group, suggesting that hyperoxia worsens short-term outcomes and could lead to increase ischemia–reperfusion injury after liver transplantation. A multicenter prospective study should be performed to confirm these results.

Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is an adjuvant treatment for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with refractory hypoxemia. Contraindications to therapeutic anticoagulation must be ruled out prior to ECMO implementation. We report the case of a 17-year-old male admitted in intensive care unit (ICU) for penetrating chest trauma due to multiple gunshot wounds. The body computed tomography (body CT scan) documented right pulmonary contusions and a homolateral hemothorax. His condition rapidly deteriorated with refractory hypoxemia due to lung contusion requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and polytransfused hemorrhagic shock. During his stay in ICU, venovenous ECMO (VV-ECMO) was implemented twice, firstly for trauma-induced ARDS and secondly after thoracic surgery. This case emphasizes the successful use of VV-ECMO in posttraumatic ARDS without increasing the risk of bleeding.