title: Fulminant heart failure due to giant cell myocarditis affecting the left ventricle.
abstract: A 56-year-old woman, previously healthy, was hospitalized after an episode of ventricular tachycardia in the course of infection. In view of the fulminant course of heart failure the patient was connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) system. After 3 weeks of treatment with ECMO the patient received a heart transplant. A histopathological examination of the tissues of the explanted heart revealed giant cell myocarditis. The patient was treated with immunosuppression based on induction therapy followed by a standard regimen with steroids. Currently, the patient remains in good general condition with an left ventricular ejection fraction of 60%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrocardiology, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Senderek
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrocardiology, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland ; Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Małecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrocardiology, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ząbek
authors.affiliation: Department of Patomorphology, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Lucyna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rudnicka-Sosin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland ; Department of Cardiosurgery, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Karol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wierzbicki
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland ; Department of Cardiosurgery, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Przybyłowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrocardiology, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bednarek
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrocardiology, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland ; Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lelakowski
keywords: fulminant heart failure; giant cell myocarditis