Fulminant myocarditis complicated with cardiac arrest and subsequent acute respiratory distress syndrome formation rescued by Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation – A rare case report

Acute fulminant myocarditis (AFM) is a relatively rare diagnosis characterized by heart failure preceded by symptoms of viral infection. Sometimes circulatory mechanical support is required for this catastrophic condition and mortality rate was still high. Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was a rare complication of myocarditis in the literature. However, there was limited literature discussing AFM complicated with cardiac arrest and subsequent ARDS formation and the prognosis of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment is unknown. Here we report a case of AFM suffering from cardiac arrest and ARDS formation and successfully treated by ECMO. This rare case reminds physicians that ARDS is still a possible but extremely rare complication of fulminant myocarditis, and ECMO is a lifesaving treatment not only for AFM with profound shock but also for possible ARDS formation.