Purpose Methylene blue (MB) has been advocated for the treatment of refractory hemodynamic instability in patients with septic shock. However, the use of MB infusions in septic shock is not considered standard treatment, and the available literature describes infusions of short duration, typically less than six hours. Clinical features We report a case of septic shock in a 67-yr-old male who required maximal vasopressor support with norepinephrine, epinephrine, and vasopressin. Despite standard protocols for the treatment of septic shock, the patient's hemodynamic status was refractory 80 hr post admission. However, initiation of a MB infusion resulted in the rapid restoration of hemodynamic stability and a subsequent decrease in vasopressor requirements.Multiple attempts to discontinue the MB infusion resulted in immediate and repeated increases in vasopressor requirements, necessitating a continuous infusion with a slow taper of MB for 120 hr. Ultimately, the patient survived the illness and was discharged home. We observed no adverse events that could be attributed to the use of MB. Conclusion In our patient, the use of MB resulted in hemodynamic stability unattained with standard vasopressor support. Further research is warranted on the use of MB in patients with septic shock. RésuméObjectif Le bleu de me´thyle`ne (BM) a e´te´propose´par certains chercheurs comme traitement de l'instabiliteh e´modynamique re´fractaire chez les patients en choc septique. La perfusion de BM n'est toutefois pas conside´re´e comme un traitement standard du choc septique, et la litte´rature publie´e de´crit des perfusions de courte dure´e, en ge´ne´ral de moins de six heures. É léments cliniques Nous rapportons un cas de choc septique chez un homme de 67 ans qui a eu besoin d'un soutien vasopresseur maximal avec de la nore´pine´phrine, de l'e´pine´phrine et de la vasopressine. Malgre´l'application des protocoles normalise´s pour le traitement du choc septique, l'e´tat he´modynamique du patient demeurait re´fractaire 80 h apre`s son admission. L'amorce d'une perfusion de BM a toutefois permis de re´tablir rapidement la stabilite´he´modynamique du patient et a entraıˆne´une re´duction subse´quente de ses besoins en vasopresseurs. Les nombreuses tentatives d'interruption de la perfusion de BM ont entraıˆne´des augmentations imme´diates et re´pe´te´es des besoins en vasopresseurs, c'est pourquoi une perfusion continue a`un de´bit plus bas de BM durant 120 h a e´te´mise en place. Le patient a finalement surve´cu a`la maladie et reçu son conge´de l'hôpital. Nous
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