Lessons from the Pandemic: Role of Percutaneous ECMO and Balloon Atrial Septostomy in Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

Ranjit R Philip; Claire Sentilles; Jason N Johnson; Anthony Merlocco; Karthik Ramakrishnan; Kaitlin A Ryan; Umar Boston; Shyam Sathanandam

doi:10.3390/jcm13082168

Lessons from the Pandemic: Role of Percutaneous ECMO and Balloon Atrial Septostomy in Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

J Clin Med. 2024 Apr 9;13(8):2168. doi: 10.3390/jcm13082168.

Authors

Ranjit R Philip^{1

2}, Claire Sentilles³, Jason N Johnson^{1

2}, Anthony Merlocco^{1

2}, Karthik Ramakrishnan^{2

4}, Kaitlin A Ryan^{1

2}, Umar Boston^{2

4}, Shyam Sathanandam^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 50 N Dunlap St., Memphis, TN 38103, USA.
² The Heart Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, 51 N Dunlap St., Memphis, TN 38103, USA.
³ Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 50 N Dunlap St., Memphis, TN 38103, USA.
⁴ Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 901 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38163, USA.

Abstract

Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) in the setting of COVID-19 can be associated with severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction. This clinical deterioration may sometimes necessitate veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) support. We describe an algorithmic approach including the role of balloon atrial septostomy in this cohort. This is the first reported series of percutaneous VA-ECMO in pediatric patients with MIS-C for better outcomes. The lessons from this approach can be replicated in other pediatric clinical conditions and adds to the armament of multiple pediatric specialties.

Keywords: COVID-19; ECMO; MIS-C.

Publication types

Case Reports

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.