Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for anesthesia induction in a patient with severe cardiorespiratory impairment due to mediastinal angiosarcoma

[Background] Mediastinal angiosarcoma is a rare intrathoracic tumor that can cause severe pleural and pericardial fibrosis. [Case report] We report the anesthetic management for pericardiectomy and pleurolysis in a 33-year-old patient with a mediastinal angiosarcoma He presented with severe restrictive ventilatory impairment and heart failure due to fibrosis of the pleura and pericardium. Spirometry indicated a forced vital capacity of 0.66/, while arterial blood gas analysis under noninvasive positive pressure ventilation indicated hypercapnia (pH 7.44; PaCO259.2 mmHg). His cardiac index was 1.36 l · min-1· m-2. Anesthesia induction and positive pressure ventilation are associated with an extremely high cardiorespiratory risk; therefore, veno-arterialextracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) with femoral cannulation was started prior to anesthesia induction. After achieving a stable circulation and adequate gas exchange, anesthesia was induced, and mechanical ventilation with intratracheal intubation was initiated. With ECMO and inotropic support, stable hemodynamics was maintained throughout anesthesia induction and the operation was performed uneventfully under cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient was extubated on the first postoperative day and discharged one month after the operation. [Conclusion] ECMO is a useful option to secure adequate gas exchange and circulation during anesthesia induction in patients with severe cardiopulmonary problems due to mediastinal tumors