ECMO as an effective rescue therapeutic for fulminant myocarditis complicated with refractory cardiac arrest

Ya-Ting Li1, Li-Fen Yang1, Zhuang-Gui Chen1

  • 1Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou.

Insights

Fulminant myocarditis (FM) is a severe pediatric condition. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) effectively rescued a child with refractory cardiac arrest from FM.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Research

Background:

  • Fulminant myocarditis (FM) presents as a life-threatening pediatric illness.
  • Rapid deterioration leading to cardiorespiratory failure is characteristic of FM, often resistant to standard treatments.

Observation:

  • A 9-year-old girl with FM developed cardiogenic shock, malignant arrhythmia, and refractory cardiac arrest.
  • Despite cardiopulmonary resuscitation and therapeutic hypothermia, the patient experienced pulseless ventricular tachycardia and cardiac arrest.

Findings:

  • Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was initiated after the failure of conventional resuscitation.
  • The patient achieved spontaneous circulation and recovered with preserved cardiac and neurocognitive functions after 221 hours of ECMO support.

Implications:

  • ECMO serves as a critical rescue therapy for pediatric fulminant myocarditis.
  • This case highlights ECMO's efficacy in managing refractory cardiac arrest secondary to FM.

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