The present article describes three cases of patients in cardiogenic shock (CS) with previous cardiac surgery that made them initially inoperable. Perioperative support with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) improved haemodynamic status and results in these high-risk patients.

Case 1 is a 57-year-old male morbidly obese with previous aortic valve replacement (AVR) who presented with chest pain and developed cardiac arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and femoral VA-ECMO were initiated. Three days later, a redo AVR was performed. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was maintained for 12 days, followed by 7 days of veno-venous ECMO for complete recovery. Case 2 features a 39-year-old male with two previous mitral valve replacements (MVRs). The first is due to papillary muscle rupture, and the second is due to endocarditis of the mitral prosthesis. He presented with CS and pulmonary oedema. Emergency surgery was performed and the patient was then placed in VA-ECMO. Weaning off was achieved 3 days after surgery. Case 3 is a 21-year-old female with a previous MVR due to rheumatic disease. She presented with CS, severe mitral prosthesis stenosis, and a pulmonary embolism. Femoral VA-ECMO was initiated, and one day later, she underwent a redo MVR operation. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was discontinued 4 days later.

Dysfunctional prosthetic valves leading to CS may benefit from a redo cardiac operation supported by a perioperative VA-ECMO to optimize haemodynamic status. Despite the results from risk prediction scores, this approach has the potential to reduce operative mortality in initial inoperable patients and allow a definitive redo cardiac surgery.