Vietnamese 11‑year‑old girl saved from acute myocarditis with ECMO

An 11‑year‑old girl from Dong Thap province developed mild fever, cough and runny nose that progressed to chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath and vomiting. After initial treatment at local hospitals, she was urgently transferred to Children’s Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, where doctors diagnosed cardiogenic shock caused by acute viral myocarditis.

The critical condition prompted immediate activation of a red‑alert protocol. The intensive‑care team deployed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to temporarily replace heart and lung function and applied therapeutic hypothermia to protect the brain. Within 20 minutes the girl’s circulation improved, and after nearly eight days of ECMO support her heart function recovered. She was weaned off ECMO and mechanical ventilation, discharged in stable condition, and suffered no lasting complications. The hospital also arranged full financial aid for the family. Physicians noted that acute myocarditis, often caused by Coxsackie B virus, is rare but can deteriorate rapidly without prompt treatment.