Journal of Clinical Case Reports

Right Ventricular Failure Following Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Successfully Treated with ECMO: Report of Two Cases

Abstract

Szczechowicz Marcin, Weymann Alexander and Szabo Gabor

Patients with acute aortic dissection report often the typical sharp, abrupt chest pain. In some cases, when the disease leads to the coronary malperfusion, the symptoms of acute coronary syndrome may be reported. Low cardiac output as the result of the accompanying coronary flow disturbances can require the mechanical cardiopulmonary support. In some selected cases extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can be successfully used as a bridge to recovery or bridge to decision. The additional advantage of this therapeutic option is the possibility of choice of the cannulation strategy: veno-venous, veno-arterial, veno-pulmonal, central/peripheral. Oxygen delivery can be easily regulated on oxygenator. We present two patients with acute type A aortic dissection and acute coronary syndrome, who recovered thanks to such therapy.