Hyderabad: In a remarkable medical feat, an 18-month-old girl from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, who ingested a bottle of All-Out was saved at KIMS Cuddles, Kondapur, in the city.
A medical team first put her on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) in Raipur at a referring hospital and then airlifted her via charter air ambulance to Begumpet airport for further treatment in Hyderabad, the hospital said in a release here on Saturday.
The girl received one of the rarest and most complex treatments, involving the insertion of a cannula near her neck to bypass her heart and lung to save her life.
After a total of 18 days of treatment, the baby fully recovered, became active, and was discharged in good health with normal neurological outcome on Thursday.
Transporting children on VA or VV ECMO from one location to another is extremely rare in kids, especially through the neck cannulation, making this case one of the rarest in India.
Over the past year, this is one of the few such cases nationwide.
For children with heart issues and post heart surgeries, post-operative ECMO is relatively common. However, in this baby's case, the problem was with her lungs and heart, and she was very small.
Using ECMO through the neck cannulation and transporting her from Raipur to Hyderabad without complications, and then from the airport to the hospital, was highly complex and challenging, showcasing the team's exceptional expertise and precision.
Dr. Parag Dekate, Clinical Director Of Pediatrics & Head Of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, KIMS Cuddles, said “The treatment provided significant support to her heart and lungs. The advanced facilities at KIMS Cuddles, combined with the expertise of a highly skilled medical team, made it possible to transport her on ECMO from Raipur and treat her successfully. Experienced cardiac and vascular surgeons ensured precise blood vessels cannulation”.
To date, six cases have involved VA-ECMO via the neck cannulation at this hospital. This hospital is also capable of E-CPR which means putting patients on ECMO while doing cardiorespiratory massage, Dr Parag said in total, the hospital has done 15 ECMO in the last 3 years which is one of the largest series of ECMO in India for lung related conditions.
For better outcomes, we also restore blood vessels. KIMS Cuddles offers ECMO at very affordable rates, and through our "Little One" foundation, we provide financial assistance to underprivileged patients, Dr Parag added.