Although relatively rare, there have been several case reports of COVID-19 infection causing acute myocarditis. These patients have required IV inotrope therapy and sometimes short-term veno-arterial ECMO support for bi-ventricular shock. Such was the case with a 64-year-old female patient from San Antonio who was successfully treated at Baylor University Medical Center.
For critically ill patients with advanced heart or lung failure, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is available at Baylor University Medical Center and three other Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH) medical centers. A systemwide coordinated care initiative that aligned the services at these hospitals in North and Central Texas has improved ECMO outcomes across all sites, including a 32 percent reduction in overall mortality.
