Published online Mar 6, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i7.1748
Peer-review started: December 2, 2020
First decision: December 21, 2020
Revised: December 26, 2020
Accepted: January 21, 2021
Article in press: January 21, 2021
Published online: March 6, 2021
Processing time: 88 Days and 12.6 Hours
Congenital fiber-type disproportion (CFTD) is a form of congenital myopathy. CFTD is rare, especially when presenting in patients with critical illnesses. Here, we report a case of CFTD presenting with type II respiratory failure after delivery and provide a review of the literature on CFTD.
A 30-year-old woman was admitted to the obstetrics department of our hospital with premature rupture of the fetal membrane and with 7 h of regular contractions. After delivery, the patient experienced a refractory type II respiratory failure. Physical examination along with diagnostic procedures such as electromyography and biopsy confirmed CFTD. Use of invasive ventilator followed by intermittent use of noninvasive ventilator attenuated her symptoms. The patient recovered after ventilator-assisted respiration and was weaned off the noninvasive ventilator on the seventh day postpartum.
Congenital myopathy should be considered a differential diagnosis for type II respiratory failures that cannot be attributed to other diseases.
Core Tip: The etiology of type II respiratory failure is complex. Congenital fiber-type disproportion is one of the rare causes, whose course is static or slowly progressive. Here, we present a rare case of congenital fiber-type disproportion in a 30-year-old woman, whose first symptom was refractory type II respiratory failure postpartum. This case reflects the importance of considering the possibility of congenital myopathy when looking for the cause of type II respiratory failure.