Thyroid Storm-Induced Refractory Multiorgan Failure Managed by Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support: A Case-Series
Abstract
Case series Patients: Female, 39-year-old • Female, 42-year-old • Female, 46-year-old • Male, 43-year-old Final Diagnosis: ECMO • thyroid storm Symptoms: Fever • palpitation Clinical Procedure: Echocardiography • ECMO • thyroidectomy Specialty: Critical Care Medicine • Endocrinology and metabolic Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Severe hyperthyroidism, including thyroid storm, can be precipitated by acute events, such as surgery, trauma, infection, medications, parturition, and noncompliance or stoppage of antithyroid drugs. Thyroid storm is one of the serious endocrinal emergencies that prompts early diagnosis and treatment. Early occurrence of multi-organ failure is an ominous sign that requires aggressive treatment, including the initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support as a bridge to stability and definitive surgical treatment. Most adverse events occur after failure of medical therapy. Case Reports: We described 4 cases of fulminating thyroid storm that were complicated with multiple organ failure and cardiac arrest. The patients, 3 female and 1 male, were between 39 and 46 years old. All patients underwent ECMO support, with planned thyroidectomy. Three survived to discharge and 1 died after prolonged cardiac arrest and sepsis. All patients underwent peripheral, percutaneous, intensivist-led cannulation for VA-ECMO with no complications. Conclusions: Early recognition of thyroid storm, identification of the cause, and proper…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a case series, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
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