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Successful treatment of acute respiratory failure secondary to mucoviseidosis and severe bilateral pneumonia in a 5-yr-old child is presented. Pulmonary assistance with arterial venous bypass with a membrane oxygenator was required when conventional therapy had failed. After 48 hr of bypass, blood gases were maintained near normal limits by mechanical ventilation alone and bypass was discontinued. Five days later artificial ventilation was terminated after which inspired oxygen concentrations were reduced until the patient could maintain satisfactory blood gases while breathing spontaneously on room air.