From being on ECMO support for a few months, patients with COVID-19 and accompanying lung problems suddenly recovered in two independent cases. Doctors believe that patients' recovery after such a lengthy ECMO surgery is extremely rare, as ECMO is only suggested for a few hours or days to arrange for a lung transplant.
Dr. KR Balakrishnan, Chairman-Cardiac Sciences Director said that the patient was admitted to MGM Healthcare on July 13. He explained that they decided to prolong ECMO support to stabilise his health state because he was brought to us with 100% lung involvement. The team then went about resolving each of his health difficulties one by one.
According to Dr Suresh Rao of MGM's Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant, patients who are receiving mechanical support for lengthy periods of time have significant variances. The body loses a lot of immunity, and there's always a higher danger of infection, especially if the patient has other health problems. In such instances, the prospects of recovery are greatly reduced.
While the doctors had claimed that the patient had responded well to the treatment, and his vital signs are stable.
A 56-year-old COVID-19 patient at the Rela hospital had a comparable miraculous recovery from his critically deteriorated state. Mr Mudijja, as per doctors, tested positive in late April and suffered breathing problems early on, as well as moderate COVID-19 pneumonia.
They reported he had a 92 percent oxygen saturation level (Sp02) in room air and needed 15 litres of oxygen each minute as his health worsened. The Heart and Lung Team, coordinated by Dr. C Arumugam, Senior Consultant, Heart and Lung Transplant Surgeon, chose to enter ECMO and use the V-V ECMO technique.
While, extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a process in which a patient's blood is pumped and oxygenated outside of the body, enabling the heart and lungs to rest.
Meanwhile, Prof Mohamed Rela, Chairman and MD of Rela Hospital, stated that ECMO had previously been used as an inconsistent solution till lung transplantation, and praised the team of doctors for making it a life-saving surgery. He continued that with the third wave approaching and the population remaining unvaccinated, the ECMO machine will be a key tool on which the healthcare community will rely.