Veno-Arterial-Venous ECMO in a Patient Undergoing Dialysis and Having Cardiopulmonary Failure Due to COVID-19

cureus.com September 16, 2024

COVID-19 can cause cardiomyopathy, a rare cardiovascular disorder that can lead to cardiogenic shock. The cardiac and respiratory symptoms may not occur simultaneously, and it is possible to switch to veno-arterial-venous (VAV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after the induction of VV-ECMO; however, it is important to note that the mortality rate is high.

In addition, patients on dialysis are at risk of worse clinical outcomes owing to COVID-19, and no reports of adequate survival in patients on dialysis who have received VAV-ECMO have been reported.

It is important for clinicians to understand that, with careful case evaluation, VAV-ECMO can be an option to save patients, as in the case reported herein.