Yashoda Hospitals employ ECMO to revive severe Covid case

The woman was admitted with severe Covid-19 symptoms and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), to the hospital’s ICU on September 16.

Hyderabad: The doctors at Yashoda Hospitals, Secunderabad, have successfully revived a 58-year-old woman who had severe Covid-19 disease through ECMO machine, which functions like an artificial heart and lungs.

Led by senior pulmonologist, Dr. Hari Kishan Gonuguntla, the doctors employed Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) therapy to treat the woman who hails from Korutla, Jagtiyal.

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The woman was admitted with severe Covid-19 symptoms and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), to the hospital’s ICU on September 16. She was also a diabetic and was not maintaining oxygen levels above 70 per cent, forcing doctors to put her on ventilator on September 17.

However, the woman’s condition did not improve, as oxygen levels fluctuated between 80 per cent and 90 per cent, prompting doctors to employ ECMO on September 19. Immediately after initiating ECMO, the woman’s oxygen levels started to improve.

“ECMO is not easy because it is resource intensive and needs expert medical training, specially in times of Covid, where the healthcare workers are already overwhelmed with patient load. We have so far successfully discharged 10,000 Covid positive patients and despite the pressure, have an exclusive team for ECMO and lung transplantation,” said Director, Yashoda Hospitals Groups, Dr. Pavan Gorukanti.

Following the recovery, the woman was discharged on October 5 and will undergo rehabilitation to recovery. The team was led by lead pulmonologist Dr. Hari Kishan Gonuguntla, intensive care team led by Dr. Venkata Ramana Kola, Dr. Sashi, Dr Ashraff and others.

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