Saving a child’s life with severe COVID-19

Hanoi Heart Hospital has just received baby NP born in 2010 (Dong Anh, Hanoi) who was brought to the emergency room by his family in a state of being unable to speak, having difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, SPO2 80% (blood oxygen saturation). Peripheral). Before that, the baby had a healthy history. Although the hospital quickly tested negative for COVID-19, but the emergency department doctors considered this to be a suspected case. COVID-19 severe course (then PCR gave positive result for COVID-19).

The doctors quickly gave first aid and transferred to the Pediatric ICU for intubation. The patient’s condition deteriorated, the mechanical ventilation index was high, hemodynamic instability was necessary, so two vasopressors had to be maintained.

The next day, the patient had ventricular tachycardia and circulatory arrest, forcing the doctors to give an emergency electric shock, but the heart function decreased much, despite the use of antiarrhythmic drugs, but did not respond.

Doctors assessed this as a case of severe COVID-19 infection, the pediatric patient had acute myocarditis. The pediatric patient was assigned to place ECMO – Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Circulation. During the placement of the ECMO machine, the patient must receive an electric shock and emergency circulatory arrest. After 2 days of running ECMO, the patient’s condition improved and was weaned from ECMO. By day 3, the patient was extubated and was able to breathe on his own, hemodynamically stable.

Master, Doctor Le Trong Tu, Department of Pediatric Resuscitation, said that right from the moment we received the patient, we diagnosed NP with myocarditis, which could be caused by COVID-19 despite the rapid test twice.

Doctor Le Trong Tu also recommended that, although children with COVID-19 have not been seriously ill, parents cannot be subjective because the symptoms of the disease in children are quite diverse, not only respiratory symptoms but also other diseases. other organs such as heart, brain… need to be detected and taken to hospital soon. Children from 5-11 years old if vaccinated vaccines Preventing COVID-19 will reduce the risk of getting sick and getting worse.