The child suffered cardiac arrests and multi-organ failure due to cardiac pulmonary arrest
Kirthik, a 2.5-year-old child from Thanjavur, was recently operated on with the support of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) a method of cardiopulmonary resuscitation using Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), a machine that acts as a heart-lung bypass, which is very rare in India for a baby.
The boy baby was suffering from fever for one week, had a lung infection and was admitted to a private hospital in his hometown. The boy had the first cardiac arrest at Thanjavur and an emergency call was made to Rela Hospital a Multi-Speciality Quaternary Care Hospital at Chromepet for ECMO and higher Management.
The ECMO team in the hospital was prepared and ready for ECPR. On arrival, the child had a second cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure due to cardiac pulmonary arrest or cardiorespiratory arrest and his oxygen level dropped to 80 per cent due to respiratory failure ARDS, and his Heart function was only 5 to 10 per cent.
ECMO was initiated immediately. The child slowly started improving and after three days his heart function was 30 to 35 per cent. After five days the heart function was normal which is 60 to 65 per cent. After nine days lung function also returned to normal, and all other organ function was good. After 10 days he was weaned off the ECMO and his oxygenation remained stable. Later in a week, the child recovered completely and was discharged.
