• Lionel Reyftmann, Estelle Morau, Herve Dechaud, Dechaud Herve, Jean-Marc Frapier, Frapier Jean-Marc, Bernard Hedon, and Hedon Bernard.
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, A. de Villeneuve University Hospital, France. l-reyftmann@chu-montpellier.fr
• Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Feb 1;107(2 Pt 2):511-4.

BackgroundCardiac arrest after postpartum hemorrhage may not respond to advanced life support. Various resuscitation methods have been proposed, including sternotomy and direct cardiac massage. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) might be an alternative.CaseWe report the case of a woman who suffered atonic uterine hemorrhage perioperatively after cesarean delivery of twins. During initial conservative treatment using prostaglandin analog (sulprostone), cardiac decompensation developed and was followed by cardiopulmonary arrest. Circulatory failure remained unresponsive after 2 hours of resuscitation, when ECMO was initiated. The ensuing recovery was favorable.ConclusionAggressive mechanical circulatory support, such as ECMO, should be considered in a case of potentially reversible cardiocirculatory failure in a young obstetric patient.

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