Case report of successful peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a patient with chronic type B aortic dissection.

A case report of successful application of peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a patient with chronic type B aortic dissection and myocardial stunning to bridge to recovery was presented. Good outcomes from the application of peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in aortic dissection have rarely been reported, and the considerations of starting veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in this situation were seldom discussed. The orthodox that peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an absolute contraindication for initiation of peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should be challenged. With proper planning and real-time transesophageal echocardiography-guided cannulation, peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is possibly beneficial. The considerations and echocardiography-guided techniques would be discussed in this report.