Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation procedure oxygenates patient’s blood outside the body
Chennai-based MGM Healthcare has successfully treated a 37-year-old male covid-infected patient with the aid of double Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)—a procedure that oxygenates a patient’s blood outside the body. It is a rare occurrence as ECMO support was engaged twice especially for a covid positive patient.
Dr KR Balakrishnan, Chairman-Cardiac Sciences Director, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant & Mechanical Circulatory Support, MGM Healthcare said, “The patient from Rajkot was being treated for covid pneumonia and was put on ventilator support. He was obese and had tested covid positive. He was put on ECMO support by the MGM team of doctors and slowly the support was withdrawn as the patient’s health condition improved.”
Dr Suresh Rao, Co-Director, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant & Mechanical Circulatory Support, MGM Healthcare further added, “Once the ECMO was removed he was recovering well. However, he developed a fungal infection and his condition started worsening. As he was breathless and his oxygen saturation was low, we didn’t have any other option but to put him on ECMO for the second time, to maintain his oxygen saturation. Gradually his clinical condition improved and we could wean off the ECMO. We had a backup plan for lung transplantation in case the lung was not recovering.”
The patient is now undergoing active physiotherapy and has been discharged recently from the hospital. His health has shown good signs of recovery and he will soon be able to fly back to his native Rajkot.
