A man in eastern China survived more than 40 hours without a heartbeat after doctors deployed advanced life-support systems.
The rare case involved fulminant myocarditis, a severe inflammation of the heart muscle that can cause sudden cardiac failure.
The patient, in his 40s, collapsed from cardiac arrest and did not respond to repeated defibrillation attempts. Doctors placed him on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which oxygenates blood outside the body, and an intra-aortic balloon pump to maintain circulation. These machines acted as artificial heart and lungs, sustaining his organs until his cardiac function returned naturally.
For nearly two days, the medical team kept him alive without a heartbeat. After three weeks of treatment, he walked out of the hospital without major complications such as stroke or kidney failure. Doctors described the outcome as extremely rare.
Experts said the case highlights ECMO’s life-saving potential in selected cardiac arrest situations. Conventional CPR often yields low survival rates in prolonged arrests, but ECMO can preserve organ function long enough for recovery. Studies show survival rates may reach 50 per cent when ECMO is initiated quickly in appropriate cases.
Fulminant myocarditis, the underlying condition, progresses rapidly and leaves little time for intervention. Timely diagnosis and immediate mechanical support proved decisive in this case. Doctors emphasised that while ECMO is costly and high-risk, it remains a critical option in advanced hospital settings.
