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Cardiac arrest caused by acute gastric dilatation in a bulimia patient: a case report

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This case report describes a young female patient with a long-standing history of bulimia nervosa a who developed acute gastric dilatation (AGD) following a binge-eating episode. The patient declined surgical intervention, leading to rapid clinical deterioration and cardiac arrest. Despite achieving return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), followed by emergency surgery and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, she remained hemodynamically unstable and eventually died. This case highlights the critical severity of AGD and underscores the importance of early surgical intervention, while also discussing the limitations of ECMO in managing non-cardiogenic shock.

Source: Frontiers in Medicine

DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1738665

Authors: Qi Cai, Menglong Song, Hongqiong Peng, Hua Jiang, Ping Zhou

Institutions: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Eating Disorders and Behaviors

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801