Huang J, Yoeli D, Sundaram SS, Carpenter T, Annam A, Pahlavan S, Wachs M, Adams MA. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as rescue therapy in a pediatric liver transplant recipient with very severe hepatopulmonary syndrome.
Pediatr Transplant 2022;
26:e14185. [PMID:
34741368 DOI:
10.1111/petr.14185]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
In children with cirrhosis, the prevalence of HPS ranges from 3% to 20%, resulting in impaired gas exchange due to alterations in pulmonary microvasculature. LT is the gold-standard cure for cirrhosis complicated by HPS and should ideally be performed prior to the development of severe HPS due to increased risk for post-transplant hypoxia, right heart failure, and outflow obstruction.
METHODS
We present a case of a 13-year-old man, who underwent pediatric LT for severe HPS complicated by postoperative respiratory collapse, requiring a 92-day course of veno-venous ECMO.
RESULTS
Post-transplant, despite BiPAP, inhaled nitric oxide and isoproterenol infusion, he remained hypoxic postoperatively and acutely decompensated on postoperative day 25, requiring veno-venous ECMO. After 84 days on ECMO, a persistent large splenorenal shunt was identified that was embolized by interventional radiology, and 8 days after shunt embolization and ASD closure, he was successfully weaned off ECMO.
CONCLUSIONS
This case describes the longest known duration of ECMO in a pediatric LT recipient and a unique improvement in hypoxemia following a portosystemic shunt closure. ECMO presents a heroic rescue measure for pediatric LT recipients with HPS that develops acute respiratory failure postoperatively refractory to alternative measures.
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