The young patient, from District 11, Ho Chi Minh City, was admitted to the hospital in a critical state after experiencing three days of coughing followed by a high fever, diarrhea, vomiting, chest pain, and abdominal discomfort on the fourth day.

Upon arrival, she was cyanotic, restless, in cardiogenic shock, and had cold extremities with undetectable blood pressure. Initial emergency interventions, including respiratory support and anti-shock measures, yielded no improvement.

Doctors at Ho Chi Minh City's Children's Hospital 1, led by Associate Professor Dr. Pham Van Quang, head of the Intensive Care and Anti-Poisoning Department, determined that the girl was suffering from refractory septic shock that had led to cardiac and cardiogenic shock, resistant to all conventional treatments.

Advanced measures were initiated, including intubation, mechanical ventilation, high-dose vasopressors to stabilize her heart, and an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) procedure.

To protect her brain and treat severe damage to her liver and kidneys, the team also employed continuous blood filtration and induced hypothermia.

Within 30 minutes, her condition began to stabilize. She transitioned from cyanosis and cardiogenic shock to regaining a healthy pink complexion. After nearly seven days of ECMO support, the girl was gradually weaned off the machine.

Currently, her infection is well-controlled, and she is alert, eating independently, and expected to be discharged soon.

Dr. Quang emphasized the critical danger of septicemia and septic shock, particularly antibiotic-resistant cases, which remain among the leading causes of death in children. Without advanced interventions like ECMO, the mortality rate for refractory septic shock approaches 100%.

Linh Thuy