Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

An 18-year-old pregnant woman had cardiac failure and severe pulmonary edema developed immediately after the delivery of her baby. The patient's respiratory distress was severe and her oxygen saturation was under 50%, despite full mechanical ventilatory support. Echocardiogram revealed an ejection fraction of 18%, and she was diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy. Her vital signs were unstable when she received conventional treatment for acute heart failure. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was applied 3 hours after the patient was transferred to the emergency department. The patient was weaned from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation 28 hours afterward, and she was extubated 2 days after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The patient was discharged 12 days after admission.