Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy for circulatory arrest due to postpartum hemorrhage

Cardiac arrest after postpartum hemorrhage may not respond to advanced life support. Various resuscitation methods have been proposed, including sternotomy and direct cardiac massage. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) might be an alternative.

We report the case of a woman who suffered atonic uterine hemorrhage perioperatively after cesarean delivery of twins. During initial conservative treatment using prostaglandin analog (sulprostone), cardiac decompensation developed and was followed by cardiopulmonary arrest. Circulatory failure remained unresponsive after 2 hours of resuscitation, when ECMO was initiated. The ensuing recovery was favorable.

Aggressive mechanical circulatory support, such as ECMO, should be considered in a case of potentially reversible cardiocirculatory failure in a young obstetric patient.