Clinical Trial Reveals Benefits of Inhaled Nitric Oxide for Patients with Respiratory Failure Due to COVID-19 Pneumonia
Treatment improved blood oxygen levels and lowered the risk of long-term sensory and motor neurologic symptoms.
About Lorenzo Berra, MD
After his medical school at the University of Milan, Dr. Berra spent three years under the mentorship of Dr. Theodor Kolobow in a research laboratory at the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD). From 2006-2011 he completed his residency in Anesthesia and fellowship in Critical Care both at the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at MGH. Since 2011 he is a staff anesthesiologist and intensivist and a member of Dr. Warren Zapol's MGH Anesthesia Center for Critical Care Research. His current patient care activities are focused on caring for critically ill patients and their families. His primary research and academic interests involve translational research to improve diagnosis, treatment and care of critically ill patients with cardio-pulmonary failure or severe infections
Clinical Interests:
- Critical care
- Obesity
- Respiratory Care
- Transfusion medicine
Treats:
- Adult
Languages:
- Italian
Locations
Mass General Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
55 Fruit St.
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-726-3030
Medical Education
- MD, Universita Degli Studi Di Milano
- MD, University of Milan
- Residency, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Residency, University of Milan
- Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
American Board Certifications
- Anesthesiology, American Board of Anesthesiology
- Critical Care Medicine, American Board of Anesthesiology
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare
- Cigna
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Coventry
- Fallon Health
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Humana
- Maine Community Health Options
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan
- MassHealth
- Medicaid CT
- Medicaid ME
- Medicaid NH
- Medicaid RI
- Medicaid VT
- Medicare
- Medicare ACO
- Multiplan
- Railroad Medicare
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- Unicare
- United Health Care
- WellSense
- WellSense NH
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Research Areas
- Alterations of the Nitric Oxide Physiology in the presence of circulation plasma cell-free hemoglobin.
- Emerging approaches in the prevention of Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia.
- Characteristics of the inflammatory response of patients undergoing surgical procedures.
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).
Description of Research
In my early research career I worked at the National Institutes of Health, under the supervision of my mentor Dr. Theodore Kolobow (2000-2005). We developed several new methods and medical devices to avoid aspiration and ventilator associated pneumonia: such as novel rotating beds, care of intubated patients, novel endotracheal tube designs, new methods of ventilation, and novel approach to prevent bacterial colonization of the respiratory tract. In animal models we experimented and successfully showed feasibility and efficacy of those methods. In order to test these hypotheses and other novel approaches to prevent lung injury in mechanically ventilated patients, Dr. Robert Kacmarek and I established a Respiratory and Critical Care Research Team in the department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at MGH. Under the mentorship of Dr. Warren Zapol, I also expanded my studies on the role of transfusion and hemolysis on hemodynamics, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and organ dysfunction.