Successful ECMO-assisted open chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a postpartum patient with delayed amniotic fluid embolism

BACKGROUND: Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare but potentially dangerous severe obstetrics complication, which is accompanied by an incidence between 1.9 and 6.1 per 100,000 births. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we report an AFE case after cesarean delivery diagnosed on a cardiac arrest complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome and coagulopathy. Diagnosis, risk factors and pathophysiology for AFE have been fully discussed, besides, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the early management of cardiac arrest was used, describing the indication, efficacy and successful performed of open-chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation for the patient. CONCLUSION: In AFE with cute cardiovascular collapse, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support can be considered as the alternative therapies.