Peripartum Cardiomyopathy with Respiratory Failure and Cardiac Arrest

Abstract

We describe the case of a 33-year-old female who went into cardiac arrest outside the hospital 7 days postpartum. We diagnosed her with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). After the return of spontaneous circulation, she suffered from acute pulmonary edema and hypoxia. The patient received intensive care after gaining return of spontaneous circulation. We also present an effective use of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO), which led to a rather short stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). An echocardiogram showed global hypokinesis with an ejection fraction of 28% and a left ventricular dilation with a diastolic dimension. The patient’s lungs recovered steadily during her stay in the ICU. VV-ECMO was disconnected on the seventh day of hospitalization, and intubation was withdrawn on the tenth day. On the thirteenth day, she was released from the ICU and transferred to another hospital. If a pregnant or postpartum woman presents with cardiopulmonary arrest, heart diseases such as PPCM should be considered.