Evidence mapPaperPMID 41535768Full record

ReviewBMC pregnancy and childbirth2026

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for pulmonary arterial hypertension complicating pregnancy: case series and literature review.

Hao Jinzhong, Li Chenxi, Liu Xiaojun, Hong Chengying, Xu Shunyao, Lv Changyan, Chen Youlian

Abstract readReviewCase Reports
In one paragraph

Review in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Hao JinzhongDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Shenzhen Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 16 Xiantong Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
Li ChenxiDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People's Hospital), 1017 Dongmen North Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
Liu XiaojunDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People's Hospital), 1017 Dongmen North Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
Hong ChengyingDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People's Hospital), 1017 Dongmen North Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
Xu ShunyaoDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People's Hospital), 1017 Dongmen North Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
Lv ChangyanDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People's Hospital), 1017 Dongmen North Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
Chen YoulianDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People's Hospital), 1017 Dongmen North Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen, 518020, China. 381904698@qq.com.

Funding

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Severe Infections ZDSYS20200811142804014Shenzhen Key Medical Discipline Construction Fund SZXK045
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPregnancy-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains a life-threatening condition with high maternal mortality, primarily due to peripartum right heart failure and hemodynamic collapse. Although extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has emerged as a critical rescue therapy for refractory cardiopulmonary failure in this population, evidence guiding its optimal application—including modality selection, initiation timing, and anticoagulation management—remains fragmented. This study aimed to synthesize real - world experience and published evidence to clarify ECMO’s role in improving outcomes for pregnant/postpartum patients with severe PAH. CASE PRESENTATION: We retrospectively analyzed 5 institutional cases of severe PAH in pregnant/postpartum patients who received veno - arterial (VA) ECMO support (July 2020–September 2025) and integrated these with 31 literature - derived cases (2000–August 2025), totaling 36 patients. The institutional cases included: (1) A 24 - year - old patient with post - ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who died of brainstem failure despite 22 days of VA ECMO; (2) A 19 - year - old patient with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and bidirectional shunting, who required ECMO reinitiation but ultimately recovered after 53 days of support; (3) A 35 - year - old patient with congenital heart disease (VSD) who was successfully weaned off ECMO after 2 days; (4) A 24 - year - old patient with atrial septal defect (ASD) and cardiac arrest, who recovered following 49 days of VA ECMO and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT); (5) A 28 - year - old patient with ASD and Eisenmenger syndrome, who survived 45 days of ECMO despite septicemia. Across all 36 cases, the median maternal age was 30.8 ± 5.6 years, 96.4% (35/36) underwent cesarean section, and VA ECMO was the dominant modality (70.9%, 25/36).

conclusionVA ECMO is a viable rescue therapy for pregnant/postpartum patients with severe PAH and hemodynamic instability, achieving a maternal survival rate of 58.1% (21/36) in this cohort. Preemptive ECMO initiation and multidisciplinary collaboration (involving obstetricians, cardiologists, and ECMO specialists) are critical for optimizing outcomes. VV ECMO should be restricted to patients with isolated hypoxemia and preserved right ventricular function.

Indexed as

Extracorporeal Membrane OxygenationPregnancy Complications, CardiovascularPulmonary Arterial HypertensionAdultFemaleHumansPregnancyRetrospective StudiesYoung AdultCardiac arrestExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)PregnancyPrognosisPulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)

Identifiers

PMID41535768
PMCPMC12888604

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.