Successful Implementation of Peripheral Venoarterial ECMO in a Patient With Eisenmenger Syndrome as a Bridge to Lung Transplant: A Case Report
- 1The Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Abstract
Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) is a form of cyanotic congenital heart disease resulting in pulmonary hypertension and right-to-left shunting. End-stage ES often requires lung transplantation and patients may require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge, though the optimal cannulation strategy is not standardized. A 49-year-old woman with ES due to unrepaired ostium secundum atrial septal defect presented with acute on chronic pulmonary embolism and refractory hypoxemia, ultimately requiring VA ECMO cannulation, which was complicated by venous cannula migration across the ASD and into the left atrium, requiring bedside repositioning under echocardiographic guidance. Differential hypoxemia was managed throughout her ECMO course and she was ultimately bridged to bilateral lung transplantation after three days. ECMO use in ES is complex and requires appreciation of the inherent limitations of each cannulation strategy. Peripheral VA ECMO can serve as a short-term strategy when emergent circulatory support is needed.
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BibTeX
@article{kapoor2026successful,
title = {{Successful Implementation of Peripheral Venoarterial ECMO in a Patient With Eisenmenger Syndrome as a Bridge to Lung Transplant: A Case Report}},
author = {Ashie Kapoor and Nicole Shalit and June Tong and Marisa Hernandez-Morgan},
journal = {Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1177/23247096261494797},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/23247096261494797},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Successful Implementation of Peripheral Venoarterial ECMO in a Patient With Eisenmenger Syndrome as a Bridge to Lung Transplant: A Case Report
AU - Ashie Kapoor
AU - Nicole Shalit
AU - June Tong
AU - Marisa Hernandez-Morgan
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/28
JO - Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports
DO - 10.1177/23247096261494797
UR - https://doi.org/10.1177/23247096261494797
AB - Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) is a form of cyanotic congenital heart disease resulting in pulmonary hypertension and right-to-left shunting. End-stage ES often requires lung transplantation and patients may require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge, though the optimal cannulation strategy is not standardized. A 49-year-old woman with ES due to unrepaired ostium secundum atrial septal defect presented with acute on chronic pulmonary embolism and refractory hypoxemia, ultimately requiring VA ECMO cannulation, which was complicated by venous cannula migration across the ASD and into the left atrium, requiring bedside repositioning under echocardiographic guidance. Differential hypoxemia was managed throughout her ECMO course and she was ultimately bridged to bilateral lung transplantation after three days. ECMO use in ES is complex and requires appreciation of the inherent limitations of each cannulation strategy. Peripheral VA ECMO can serve as a short-term strategy when emergent circulatory support is needed.
SN - 2324-7096
ER -