Successful heart transplantation for COVID-19-associated post-infectious fulminant myocarditis

ESC Heart Fail. 2021 Aug;8(4):2625-2630. doi: 10.1002/ehf2.13326. Epub 2021 May 2.

Abstract

Various clinical presentations of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been described, including post-infectious acute and fulminant myocarditis. Here, we describe the case of a young patient admitted for COVID-19-associated post-infectious fulminant myocarditis. Despite optimal pharmacologic management, haemodynamic status worsened requiring support by veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Emergent heart transplantation was required at Day 11 given the absence of cardiac function improvement. The diagnosis of post-infectious COVID-19-associated myocarditis was made from both pathologic examination of the explanted heart and positive SARS-CoV-2 serology.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cardiogenic shock; Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; Fulminant myocarditis; Heart transplantation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Heart Transplantation*
  • Humans
  • Myocarditis* / complications
  • Myocarditis* / diagnosis
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Treatment Outcome