Case report of successful treatment of peripartum cardiomyopathy with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and intra-aortic balloon pump
Abstract：Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare disease that causes heart failure in pregnant women during the late stage of pregnancy or early postpartum period. PPCM is defined as cardiac systolic dysfunction occurring at the end of pregnancy or within a few months after delivery, characterized by reduced global left ventricular function and decreased left ventricular ejection fraction, with no other clear causes of heart failure. The exact cause of PPCM remains unknown, but it may be related to imbalance in angiogenesis and abnormal prolactin processing. Other possible causes include genetics, inflammation, hormones, infection, and autoimmune factors [1]. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a technique that provides respiratory and circulatory support for patients with severe heart or lung failure when conventional treatments fail, and can serve as a treatment for heart or lung failure or as a bridge to artificial heart or heart-lung transplantation [2]. Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is a procedure where a balloon is inserted into the descending aorta between the renal artery and the aorta, and it inflates during diastole and deflates during systole, thereby reducing cardiac workload and increasing coronary perfusion [3]. This article summarizes the clinical data and experience of a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy successfully treated with veno-arterial ECMO combined with IABP at Wuhan Asia Heart Hospital, which has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Wuhan Asia Heart Hospital (2024-B057).
Keywords：Extracorporeal membrane oxygenationIntra-aortic balloon pumpPeripartum cardiomyopathy
Publication Date：2025-02-27
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：4( 68-71 )