• Günes Dogan, Jasmin Hanke, Jakob Puntigam, Axel Haverich, and Jan D Schmitto.
• Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
• Int J Artif Organs. 2018 Aug 1; 41 (8): 474-479.

PurposeGiant-cell myocarditis represents a rare and often fatal autoimmune disorder. Despite extracorporeal life support being a valid treatment option, alternatives to control the underlying inflammatory response remain sparse. A new hemoadsorption device (CytoSorb) has recently been introduced to treat patients with an excessive inflammatory response.MethodsA 57-year-old patient developed fulminant right heart failure, respiratory insufficiency, hemodynamic instability, and oliguric-anuric renal failure. An extracorporeal life support together with an Impella was implanted for circulatory support. Due to non-pulsatility, acontractility of the left ventricle and a heavily reduced right ventricular function, a left ventricular assist device implantation and change from extracorporeal life support to veno-pulmonary arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was performed. Since adequate hemodynamic stabilization could not be achieved and due to increasing inflammatory mediators and bilirubin levels, the decision was made to additionally integrate a CytoSorb hemoadsorber into the system.ResultsThe combined treatment resulted in a clear and steady improvement in hemodynamics and the inflammatory condition with marked reductions in all measured parameters throughout the treatment period. Metabolic acidosis resolved and liver function improved.ConclusionExtracorporeal life support therapy represents a bridging approach to heart transplantation or to cardiac recovery and can be complemented by CytoSorb as an independent therapeutic option. The patient described herein with giant-cell myocarditis and fulminant cardiac failure who received substantial extracorporeal support in combination with CytoSorb hemoadsorption therapy benefited in terms of an improvement of organ function and his inflammatory situation.

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