Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a patient with stress-induced cardiomyopathy after caesarean section.

Abstract

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy is an acute cardiac syndrome mimicking ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and is characterised by transient left ventricular dysfunction in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. Caesarean delivery is associated with intense emotional and physical stress, which may precipitate stress-induced cardiomyopathy mimicking acute myocardial infarction. We report a case of a woman who was supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for acute heart failure and severe pulmonary oedema, which may have resulted from stress-induced cardiomyopathy in the early postpartum period following caesarean delivery.