Ga. Pearson et al., SALVAGE OF POSTOPERATIVE PULMONARY HYPERTENSIVE CRISIS USING ECMO VIACERVICAL CANNULATION IN A CASE OF TRUNCUS ARTERIOSUS, European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery, 7(7), 1993, pp. 390-391
The survival of patients with truncus arteriosus beyond one year of ag
e is rare without surgical treatment3!. Early surgery may be associat
ed with a mortality but is still preferable, as the risks of establish
ed pulmonary hypertensive disease complicate delayed surgery 2!. We r
eport the successful salvage of a pulmonary hypertensive crisis 24 h a
fter corrective surgery in a late presenting patient using extracorpor
eal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) via cervical cannulation. Post-operati
ve pulmonary hypertensive crises may present a difficult management pr
oblem. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is therapeutic in these cir
cumstances in addition to providing life support. Cervical cannulation
remains the method of choice in the postoperative cardiac patient.