Article Successful Use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in an Adult Patient With

Cardiomyopathy secondary to toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening problem. We report the case of a 51-year-old male who presented with profound cardiogenic shock and multiorgan failure that could not be managed by conventional therapy with intravenous fluids, vasopressors and inotropes. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygena-tion (VA ECMO) was instituted as a bridge to recovery. After administration of antibiotics and intravenous immunoglobulin, the patient’s condition improved and he was successfully weaned off ECMO after 6 days. The patient recovered from multiorgan fail-ure, and left ventricular ejection fraction improved from <10 % pre-ECMO to 65 % 8 months after discharge. This case supports the view that VA ECMO can be used successfully to support vital organ perfusion in patients with profound but reversible car-diomyopathy attributed to TSS