Hyderabad doctors save infant after critical airlift rescue from Raipur

A nine-month-old infant with severe respiratory complications was airlifted from Raipur to Hyderabad and treated at KIMS Cuddles. After 45 days of intensive care, including ECMO support, the child recovered fully and was discharged.

Hyderabad: A nine-month-old infant suffering from life-threatening Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) along with pneumothorax (air accumulation around the lungs) was saved after being airlifted from Chhattisgarh to Hyderabad and treated at KIMS Cuddles, Kondapur.

The child, a native of Raipur, was initially admitted to a local hospital with a routine cold and cough. However, the condition deteriorated rapidly within a week and despite being on a ventilator, the oxygen levels continued to plummet.

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The infant was found to be suffering from severe adenoviral pneumonia, a viral lung infection caused by adenovirus, resulting in respiratory failure. “Our team reached Raipur and, after stabilising the infant on a ventilator, coordinated with aviation services to airlift the child to Hyderabad,” said Dr Parag Dekate, Clinical Director of Paediatrics and Head, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

Doctors initiated VA-ECMO (Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), a life-saving support system that temporarily performs the functions of the heart and lungs. Doctors managed multiple complications, including high viral load, infections, and fluctuations in blood pressure. After 45 days of treatment, the infant recovered fully and was discharged.