ECMO for resuscitation of an infant immediately post-op VSD closure and RVOT repair: A case report of possible malignant hyperthermia

Malignant hyperthermia is an inherited disorder of skeletal muscle, triggered by volatile inhalation anesthetics or depolarizing muscle relaxants. Susceptible individuals who are exposed to such agents may experience a hypermetabolic state causing skeletal muscle damage, hyperthermia, renal failure, and death. This case report describes the use of extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation to resuscitate a moribund 3.5 month old child with poor cardiac output following cardiopulmonary bypass for ventricular septal defect closure, tricuspid valve repair, and augmentation of the right ventricular outflow tract. Malignant hyperthermia was suspected to be a contributing factor for the rapid decline in this patient's post-operative status.