Saving a 7-year-old child with acute myocarditis using ECMO technique

Seeing the baby at home, Ms. Pham Thi Trang, V.'s mother, could not hide her happiness: "When he got sick, I was extremely panicked and scared. My family is grateful to the doctors and nurses at Hue Central Hospital for saving his life from the hands of death."

On March 18, 2025, V. suddenly showed symptoms of fatigue and convulsions and was taken to Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. The doctor determined that he had bradycardia with third-degree atrioventricular block - a life-threatening condition - so he was immediately transferred to Hue Central Hospital.

At the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, the child was diagnosed with fulminant myocarditis complicated by severe cardiogenic shock, with a very high risk of death. Doctors immediately established an airway, administered cardiac medication, raised the red alert, and urgently coordinated with the Cardiovascular Intervention Unit to place a temporary pacemaker.

Initially, the child's hemodynamics improved. However, heart function continued to decline to only one-third of normal in the following days.

Faced with heart failure, on April 16, 2025, doctors decided to deploy ECMO - a solution to support circulation and respiration to "keep the baby alive" and give the little heart time to recover.

Doctors from Hue Central Hospital visited and examined NVT (7 years old, residing in Huong Thuy town, Hue city).

After only 5 days of ECMO, the child's heart function improved significantly. The child was removed from ECMO, the pacemaker was stopped, and the ventilator was successfully removed. After more than a month of intensive treatment, on April 23, 2025, NVT was discharged from the hospital, in stable health, with a completely normal cardiovascular and hemodynamic status.

Doctor Vo Van Nguyen Loi, Hue Central Hospital's Pediatric Center, said: "Baby V's heart function has fully recovered. With ECMO technology, we hope to save many more severe cases like this."

Professor, Dr. Pham Nhu Hiep, Director of Hue Central Hospital, shared: "ECMO technique was first successfully deployed in Vietnam at Hue Central Hospital in 2009. Up to now, ECMO has become a routine technique in pediatric resuscitation at the hospital, contributing to saving the lives of many critically ill patients who do not respond to conventional treatment."

The success of this case continues to affirm the high level of professional competence, proactive spirit, quickness and effective coordination between specialties. ECMO - a modern weapon of intensive care has brought a miracle to a heart that seemed to have stopped beating.

In particular, this achievement is even more meaningful when it takes place on the occasion of the Southern Liberation Day (April 30) and International Labor Day (May 1), as a practical and humane gift, demonstrating the spirit of continuous dedication to community health.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/cuu-song-be-7-tuoi-viem-co-tim-toi-cap-bang-ky-thuat-ecmo-post875507.html