Cautious Use of Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for MRSA Sepsis and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for septic shock has been reported occasionally and it has been shown to have reasonable outcomes in pediatrics cases. However, the adult ECMO for septic shock is not as clearly elucidated. Here we present a case of adult ECMO for septic shock secondary to MRSA, complicated by multi-organ abscesses. This case illustrates that MRSA sepsis is a major contraindication for the use of ECMO.