Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Rescue Therapy in Post-cardiotomy Cardiogenic Shock: A Case Report

Cardiogenic shock is a constant challenge for the intensivist when complicating a myocardial infarction, due to the high rate of associated morbidity and mortality, especially in the setting of mechanical complications such as papillary muscle rupture. We present the case of a 49-year-old woman with cardiogenic shock due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by severe mitral valve insufficiency due to papillary muscle rupture. She was treated initially by medical optimization, followed by mitral valve replacement and complete surgical revascularization, requiring rescue mechanical circulatory support by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ECMO proved to be a rescue therapy in a patient with refractory cardiogenic shock after urgent cardiac surgery.