Karnataka: Mobile ECMO retrieval team of Narayana Health City saves a life

ECMO requires cannulation and performing cannulation at an unfamiliar surrounding is demanding. In this case, as the patient was extremely critical and even transportation was also a challenge. 

Bengaluru: Compassion has no boundaries and that's what happened with Nagesh. He was given a new lease of life at a city hospital by the ECMO (Extra Corporeal Life Support) retrieval team of Narayana Health City.

34-year-old Nagesh was admitted at St. John's hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) owing to fever and breathing difficulty and was put on anti-flu medicines and artificial respiration (mechanical ventilation). Since his oxygen parameters were not improving, he was further analyzed and it was identified that he was suffering from severe acute respiratory syndrome (ARDS).

Acute respiratory syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening lung condition wherein the flow of oxygen into the lungs and blood is prevented. Nagesh was administered artificial respiration in the prone position (face down position) for a period of sixteen hours, however, then also his oxygen parameters did not show any improvement. As rescue and life-saving measure doctors at St. John's Hospital advised initiating Extra Corporeal Life Support (ECMO) and reached out to Narayana Health City.

Nagesh was critical and not in a position to be shifted from one room to the other within the hospital, the ECMO team of Narayana Health City bought the ECMO unit to the St. John's Hospital. They initiated the ECMO at the St. John's Hospital and then took the patient on ECMO to Narayana Health City for further treatment. The patient was put on VV ECMO (Venous Venous Extra Corporeal Life Support).

ECMO is a medical device used to provide support to patients whose heart and lungs are unable to provide an adequate amount of gas exchange to sustain life. ECMO works by artificially removing the carbon dioxide and oxygenating red blood cells. It is a life-sustaining intervention used in the later treatment of a patient with heart or lung failure.

In the case of VV ECMO, a single cannula is placed in the vein and with the help of a rotatory pump, the blood is artificially drawn to the machine. The drawn blood is then passed through an oxygenation chamber where carbon dioxide is removed and blood is oxygenated.

"ECMO requires cannulation and performing cannulation at an unfamiliar surrounding is demanding. In this case, as the patient was extremely critical and even transportation was also a challenge. A smallest alteration or disturbance in his position during transportation would have extremely impacted his condition. However, owing to the co-operation from the referral hospital and utmost care by our expert team we were able to successfully retrieve and treat the patient", said Dr Harish M M, Consultant and In charge Multi-disciplinary Intensive Care Unit, Narayana Health City.

"My family was frightened when they got know about my deteriorating condition and I urgently need to be moved to another hospital with ECMO facility. They were on the verge of losing their hope as even a slight mistake could be have been life-threatening. However, the team of doctors at St. John's Hospital, as well as Narayana Health City, were very understanding. They explained to my family in detail my condition, the treatment and moreover put them at ease", shared Nagesh with his joy of recovering.

"I am thankful to the entire team of Narayana Health City for coming to rescue my life," added Nagesh.