Acute Budd Chiari syndrome in an ECMO patient

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is widely utilized to make timely decisions regarding patient care. This approach allowed us to diagnose the cause of acutely rising transaminases in a patient in severe ARDS secondary to influenza pneumonia requiring veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO).

A 36-year-old female presented with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure secondary to influenza A infection. Within 24 hours, she required intubation and met severe ARDS criteria with a PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio of 62. She was managed with high PEEP and low tidal volume ventilation strategy, however her clinical status continued to deteriorate and the decision was made to pursue VV-ECMO. Within hours of cannulation her aspartate aminotransferase (AST) dramatically increased from 736 to 4512 µ/L, with concurrent mild increases in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and creatine phosphokinase (CPK). Point-of-care ultrasound was performed which revealed a complete absence of flow in the hepatic vein, secondary to acute obstruction by an 25-French drainage catheter for the ECMO circuit. The catheter was exchanged with a smaller French catheter and the patient's transaminases and CPK levels quickly decreased and returned to normal within several days.

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition caused by acute obstruction of hepatic vein blood flow that can lead to fulminant liver failure if left untreated. BCS is usually caused by a hepatic vein thrombus, however any mechanical obstruction can lead to the same pathology. Point-of-care ultrasound lead to a prompt diagnosis and allowed for quick action to correct the obstruction. Although BCS is not a common problem with VV-ECMO, the syndrome should always be on the differential of any patient on VV-ECMO with acutely rising transaminases.

Ultrasound played an integral role in providing a crucial diagnosis of BCS secondary to obstruction by an ECMO drainage catheter.