A patient from Surat, who was very critical and dependent on ECMO life support, was successfully airlifted to MGM Healthcare, a multi-specialty quaternary care hospital in Chennai for advanced medical attention. He has now been taken off life support and is breathing naturally.
Dr Sanket Mehta was put on ECMO at a private hospital in Surat for a COVID-19 induced respiratory failure. Dr Sanket made headlines when he risked his life by removing his oxygen support to intubate another patient who required ventilator support in the same ICU. During this time, his condition further deteriorated since he was off oxygen support for nearly 15-20 minutes. The expert team decided to shift him to MGM Healthcare which specialises in complex and long-term management of ECMO support along with the available expertise of lung transplant if required.
On arrival, Dr Sanket had fluctuating oxygen saturation and was ECMO dependent for oxygenation. His Chest X ray showed ‘white out’ lungs meaning lungs were stiff and not contributing to oxygen exchange. Additionally, he has severe muscular weakness and was only able to flicker his fingers, and not move any of his limbs. Over a period of time with continued management and support, his ventilation has improved, lungs have cleared on X Rays and he is able to maintain good oxygenation with 100% oxygen saturation.
Commenting on the procedure, Dr. K R Balakrishnan, Chairman & Director of Cardiac Sciences and Director of the Heart and Lung Transplant Program at MGM Healthcare said, “At MGM, we have always pushed the boundaries of care to get more done for our patients. This time, we were dealing with a clinician par excellence who stood tall with his action even when he himself was vulnerable.”
On September 22, after a thorough assessment, Dr Sanket was taken off ECMO and his lungs with 40% oxygen support are able to sustain oxygenation at 100% oxygen saturation. He has been undergoing intensive physiotherapy and his muscle power has gradually increased from Grade 0 to Grade 2. All his blood parameters are within normal range.
According to Dr Suresh Rao, Co-Director, Institute of Heart & Lung Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support, “We all knew it was a difficult case, but given the circumstances, the superior facility and a team that yearns for challenge - we believed MGM is the best place for him to be treated. we had the option of doing bilateral lung transplant in case lungs do not recover. Fortunately, we could wean off ECMO with the recovery of lungs.”