Successful early application of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to support cardiopulmonary resuscitation for a patient suffering from severe malignant hyperthermia and cardiac arrest: a case report

Perioperative Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Adult Patients: A Review for the Perioperative Physician

The use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for refractory cardiac arrest has grown rapidly over the previous decade. Considerations for the implementation and management of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation are presented for the perioperative physician.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation During Adult Noncardiac Surgery and Perioperative Emergencies: A Narrative Review

Over the last decade, the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has increased significantly. In some centers, ECMO has been deployed to manage perioperative emergencies and plays a role in facilitating high-risk thoracic, airway, and trauma surgery, which may not be feasible without ECMO support. General anesthesiologists who usually manage these cases may not be familiar with the initiation and management of patients on ECMO. This review discusses the use of ECMO in the operating room for thoracic, airway, and trauma surgery, as well as obstetric and perioperative emergencies.

Almost-certain malignant hyperthermia during cardiopulmonary bypass: a case report and literature review

Malignant hyperthermia is a well-known but potentially lethal disorder which is triggered by volatile anesthetics and depolarizing muscle relaxants. Early diagnosis and treatment could save lives. However, during cardiac surgery, hypothermia and cardiopulmonary bypass make the diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia extremely difficult than other surgeries. We report a case of almost-certain malignant hyperthermia, according to the clinical grading scale, in a patient undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. The patient underwent difficult weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass until intra-aortic balloon pump and temporary cardiac pacemaker had been implanted. Although dantrolene and corresponding treatments were administered recently, the patient died 12 days after surgery because of acute kidney failure and cardiac arrest. Therefore, it is important for us to previously recognize some specific signs of malignant hyperthermia during cardiopulmonary bypass to avoid severe outcomes.

Combination of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and inline hemofiltration for the acute hyperkalemic cardiac arrest in a patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy following orthopedic surgery -a case report

Background

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common childhood muscular dystrophy that anesthesiologists can encounter in the operation room, and patients with DMD are susceptible to complications such as rhabdomyolysis, hyperkalemic cardiac arrest, and hyperthermia during the perioperative period. Acute onset of hyperkalemic cardiac arrest is a crisis because of the difficulty in achieving satisfactory resuscitation owing to the sustained hyperkalemia accompanied by rhabdomyolysis.

Case

We here report a case of a 13-year-old boy who had multiple leg fractures and other trauma after a car accident and who had suffered from acute hyperkalemic cardiac arrest. He was refractory to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and showed sustained hyperkalemia. With extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and in-line hemofiltration, he recovered from repeated cardiac arrest and hyperkalemia.

Conclusions

Combining ECMO and in-line hemofiltration might be a safe and effective technique for refractory hyperkalemic cardiac arrest and rhabdomyolysis in patients with DMD.