There was all round despondency, but the gutsy 34-year-old surprised everybody by defeating death with some ‘extra’ lung power.
“Her oxygen saturation levels plummeted to 70 per cent and her lung damage exceeded 95 per cent. So, the doctors put her on ventilation immediately. Her husband had lost all hope because of the failing lungs,” said Dr Parul Banker, medical director, Bankers Heart Institute.
Despite the ventilation, the patient’s vital signs deteriorated and she was at the risk of multi-organ dysfunction due to oxygen deprivation.
The doctors then decided to give her artificial lung support while her damaged lungs got extra time to heal.
“We then decided to give her Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) treatment. Dr Darshan Banker and the ICU doctors took the decision to keep the patient on a prolonged heart lung machine, ECMO, which was the only hope to save her,” Banker added.
ECMO acts as an artificial lung support, bypassing the damaged lungs to allow them time to heal. After eight days of ECMO support, the patient’s lungs began to recover. She is now living a normal life without oxygen support. She was discharged without any complications,” Banker said.
We also published the following articles recently
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur has introduced state-of-the-art facilities for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) services in their critical care unit. This facility is the first of its kind in Central India and is essential for severely ill patients who require lifesaving mechanical support for heart or lung conditions. The ECMO treatment allows the patient’s body to rest and recover, providing them with time to heal from their underlying illness. The collaborative efforts of multiple departments at AIIMS Raipur have successfully treated a 15-year-old patient with progressive dyspnea, kidney and liver problems using ECMO services.
A recent study conducted in Maharashtra indicates that long-term effects of Covid-19 infection could include new medical conditions such as hypertension, lung fibrosis, and asthma. The study analyzed 617 Covid-19 patients who had contracted either the Omicron or Delta variants of the virus and found that 1.94% of participants developed these conditions after recovering from the infection. Common long Covid symptoms reported included malaise, shortness of breath, fatigue, joint pain, and frequent cough and cold episodes. The study calls for further research to confirm these preliminary findings.
King Georges Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow has proposed to the state government to start a lung transplant facility, which would make it the first medical institution in the state to offer this service. The proposal is currently awaiting approval. If accepted, KGMU will provide lung transplant surgeries at a lower cost compared to the private sector, benefiting patients with serious lung diseases in north India. Additionally, a seminar was held at KGMU to raise awareness about sepsis and its prevention.
About The Author
