Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge between transfer and perioperative periods in refractory cardiogenic shock secondary to a large left atrial myxoma

Abstract

A 63-year-old man was admitted for acute left heart failure after field operations. He rapidly developed refractory cardiogenic shock due to a large left atrial myxoma which was found by bed-side echocardiography. Veno-arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was performed immediately, and the patient was transferred for further surgery with a good outcome. Therefore, timely echocardiographic evaluation and surgical removal of myxomas is recommended, and ECMO could be used as a bridge between the transfer and perioperative period.