We present the case of 28-year-old woman with a history of complex congenital cardiac surgery who developed cardiovascular collapse with reperfusion pulmonary oedema and right ventricular failure after surgical replacement of a severely stenosed right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit. She required two separate episodes of support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and is alive and well 6 months after her initial cardiorespiratory crisis. We believe that consideration of a second period of support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is appropriate for select adults with CHD, provided they have a potentially reversible cause of postoperative cardiorespiratory collapse.

Our case provides several important lessons: (1) adults with CHD with severe postcardiotomy cardiorespiratory failure may potentially be salvaged even if they require multiple runs of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; (2) adults with CHD with severe postcardiotomy respiratory failure with adequate cardiac function may potentially be salvaged with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; and (3) patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation will benefit from care from a skilled multidisciplinary team who are able to focus on the support of the function of the organs of the patient whilst providing nutrition and mobilisation.