Abstract
The outbreak of SARS-CoV‑2 and the associated COVID-19 pandemic pose major challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. New data on diagnosis, clinical presentation and treatment of the disease are published on a daily basis. This case report describes the fatal course of severe COVID-19 pneumonia in an 81-year-old patient with no previous pulmonary disease who developed a giant bulla during non-invasive high-flow oxygen therapy. Virus-induced diffuse destruction of alveolar tissue or patient self-inflicted lung injury (P-SILI) are discussed as possible pathomechanisms. Future studies must determine whether lung-protective mechanical ventilation with high levels of sedation and paralysis to suppress spontaneous respiratory drive and to reduce transpulmonary pressure can prevent structural lung damage induced both by the virus and P‑SILI in COVID-19 patients with ARDS.