Management of Cyanide Intoxication with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

Abstract

Cyanide intoxication results in severe metabolic acidosis and catastrophic prognosis with conventional treatment. Indications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) are expanding to poisoning cases. A 50-year-old male patient arrived in the emergency room due to mental change after ingestion of cyanide as a suicide attempt 30 minutes prior. He was comatose, and brain stem reflexes were absent. Initial laboratory analysis demonstrated severe metabolic acidosis with increased lactic acid of 25 mM/L. Shock and acidosis were not corrected despite a large amount of fluid resuscitation with high-dose norepinephrine and continuous renal replacement therapy. We decided to apply ECMO and CRRT to allow time for stabilization of hemodynamic status. After administration of antidote infusion, although the patient had the potential to progress to brain death status, vital signs were improved with correction of acidosis. We considered the evaluation for organ donation. We report a male patient who showed typical cyanide intoxication as lethal metabolic acidosis and cardiac impairment, and the patient recovered after antidote administration during vital organ support through ECMO and CRRT.

Keywords

• brain death
• cyanides
• extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
• organ transplantation
• renal replacement therapy