Interfacility Transport of Mechanically Ventilated Patients with Suspected COVID-19 in the Prone Position.

Objective: Prone positioning during mechanical ventilation in patients with severe respiratory failure is an important intervention with both physiologic and empiric rationale for its use. This study describes a consecutive cohort of patients with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure due to COVID-19 who were transported in the prone position in order to determine the incidence of serious adverse events (SAEs) during transport.

Methods: This retrospective study used prospectively collected data from a provincial air and land critical care transport system where specially trained critical care paramedic crews transported intubated and mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 in the prone position.