Use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in an 8-year-old boy with severe malignant hyperthermia: a case report

Malignant hyperthermia is a hypermetabolic response to triggering agents in susceptible individuals, characterized by hyperthermia and rigidity.These individuals develop symptoms of malignant hyperthermia due to uncontrolled calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum into the intracellular space of skeletal muscle upon exposure to triggering agents.This elevated intracellular calcium results in sustained muscle contraction and increased consumption of oxygen and adenosine triphosphate.In some cases, complications such as rhabdomyolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and multi-organ failure can be life-threatening.The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in malignant hyperthermia has been reported in two adult cases, but no pediatric cases have been reported.Here, we present a case of malignant hyperthermia in an 8-year-old boy supported with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation who did not survive due to progressive multi-organ failure.