Multiple Organ Failure and Refractory Cardiogenic Shock due to Venlafaxine Intoxication, Successfully Treated with Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Life Support

Venlafaxine has critical side effects from arrhythmias to cardiogenic shock after toxic dose ingestion. We report a case of venlafaxine intoxication with Multiple Organ Failure (MOF) treated with Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Life Support (VA-ECLS). A 60-year old male with a history of chronic depression ingested 72 tablets of prolonged-release venlafaxine hydrochloride 75 mg (total 5400 mg). Initial EKG showed broadened QRS complexes and Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE) revealed diffuse ventricular hypokinesia with Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) of 15% for which dobutamine infusion was started. Due to persistent refractory cardiogenic shock and MOF, a Medos® Deltastream® VA-ECLS was surgically implanted in our intensive care unit. On day 1, toxicology analysis found plasma concentrations of venlafaxine 3.2mg/L and its metabolite desmethylvenlafaxine at 0.92 mg/L. At day 6, we performed a weaning trial, enabling ECLS removal. Motion defect of anteroseptal and inferolateral walls was also noticed. EKGs showed a shorten R wave in the anteroseptal territory leading to the potential diagnosis of underlying ischemic cardiomyopathy. The patient was extubated at day-10 and discharged for cardiology unit at day-17. At day-20, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed no sign of ischemia and TTE parameters were normalized. This is the first report of refractory cardiogenic shock and MOF due to venlafaxine intoxication treated with VA-ECLS. The main objective of ECLS is to restore cardiac output especially when ventricular failure is refractory to inotropes. Our experience suggests that MOF secondary to refractory cardiogenic shock should quickly prompt the implantation of a VA-ECLS in venlafaxine critical overdose.