Yashoda Hospitals successfully employed ECMO to revive a 58 year old with severe COVID-19

The doctors at Yashoda Hospitals, Secunderabad, have successfully revived a 58-year-old woman who had severe Covid-19 disease through ECMO machine, which functions like an artificial heart and lungs.

The team of Doctors led by senior pulmonologist, Dr. Hari Kishan Gonuguntla and the intensive care team led by Dr. Venkata Ramana Kola, Dr. Sashi, Dr. Ashraff and others. The doctors employed Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) therapy to treat the woman who hails from Korutla, Jagtial a city in Telangana

The patient was admitted with severe Covid-19 symptoms and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), to the hospital’s ICU on the 16th of September. She was also a diabetic and was not maintaining oxygen levels above 70 per cent, forcing doctors to put her on a ventilator on September 17.

However, the woman’s condition did not improve, as oxygen levels fluctuated between 80 percent and 90 per cent, prompting doctors to employ ECMO on September 19. Immediately after initiating ECMO, the woman’s oxygen levels started to improve.

“ECMO is not easy because it is resource intensive and needs expert medical training, especially in times of Covid, where the healthcare workers are already overwhelmed with patient load. We have so far successfully discharged 10,000 Covid positive patients and despite the pressure, have an exclusive team for ECMO and lung transplantation,” said Director, Yashoda Hospitals Groups, Dr. Pavan Gorukanti.

Immediately after initiating ECMO, the patient’s oxygenation improved. Also, she had a sudden collapse of her left lung due to obstruction by a mucus plug and bacterial infection. Then the doctors decided to do an urgent bronchoscopy (a high risk procedure during Covid-19) and could clear off the mucus and re-open the lungs.

Following this, there has been a dramatic improvement in the condition of the patient and she was removed from ECMO on September 28, 2020. She was discharged on October 5 on tracheotomy to a rehabilitation centre, where she is undergoing rigorous physical training and later, she will be shifted home.” said Dr. Hari Kishan Gonuguntla, Senior pulmonologist, Yashoda Hospitals, Secunderabad.

News Coverage:

• Telangana Today: https://telanganatoday.com/?p=524105

• The Hindu: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-telangana/ecmo-therapy-revives-woman-with-severe-respiratory-distress/article32799229.ece

• Sakshi: https://m.sakshi.com/telugu-news/telangana/covid-patient-survived-ecmo-therapy-1320154

• New India Express: https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2020/oct/08/58-year-old-critical-patient-beats-covid-19-miraculously-inhyderabad-2207295.html

• AndhraJyothy: https://www.andhrajyothy.com/telugunews/yashoda-hospital-doctors-202010080326043

• Mana Telangana: https://m.manatelangana.news/article/yashoda-hospital-reborn-for-covid-woman/476149

• NT News: https://www.ntnews.com/telangana/2020-10-08-87782/amp

• Deccan News: https://deccan.news/yashoda-hospitals-use-ecmo-to-revive-badly-covid-case/

• News Meter: https://newsmeter.in/58-yo-covid-patient-gets-a-new-life-through-ecmo/ 

• Eenadu: https://epaperbeta2.eenadu.net/Home/Index?date=08/10/2020&eid=27&pid=1284091 

• The Siasat Daily: https://epaper.siasat.com/c/55507946 

• Prabha News: https://epaper.prabhanews.com/2849501/Hyderabad/8-10-2020-hyderabad#page/5 

• Prajasakti: https://epaper.prajapaksham.in/epaper/edition/3792/prajapaksham-dak-edition/page/3 

• Great Telangana: https://greattelangaana.com/yashoda-hospital-saves-life-for-58-years-age-women/
• Nava Telangana: https://epaper.navatelangana.com/2850889/Hyderabad/Hyderabad-09-10-2020#clip/55531408/4739d1e9-83c8-4597-9d6f-8f10c04781d9/448.8888888888889:875.5581495252344