Overcoming death after 80 days of breathing ECMO

Doctor Nguyen Hoang Phong, Head of Respiratory Department 1, Children’s Hospital 2, on April 2, said that the patient was hospitalized at the end of last year with severe pneumonia, sepsis, respiratory failure, requiring mechanical ventilation. high. The disease progressed rapidly, with severe multi-organ damage.

At the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), doctors provide respiratory support, continuous dialysis and treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics, anticoagulants, and anti-inflammatory drugs according to the critical Covid regimen. After 4 days, the patient’s lung condition continued to deteriorate, severe damage was diffused on both sides. The doctors decided to use extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). This is a life support device, capable of replacing the function of the heart and lungs, used for serious and life-threatening patients.

During the treatment process, there were times when the girl’s condition was so severe that it seemed impossible to get over it. Doctors and nurses are on duty to closely monitor and combine many measures. Fortunately, the patient stopped ECMO after 80 days, miraculously weaned off the ventilator. However, her pneumonia was still severe, she had to breathe with continuous positive pressure through her nose, so she was transferred to Respiratory Department 1 for further treatment.

According to Dr. Phong, after a long time fighting a serious illness, the patient suffered a lot of physical and psychological damage. Respiratory doctors collaborate with physiotherapists, psychologists to develop the most optimal recovery therapies. The patient received respiratory physiotherapy every day to improve lung function.

Nutritionists monitor, optimize the diet, add more energy, vitamins and minerals needed in the stage of serious illness to recover quickly. Every day, doctors and nurses make phone calls so that the patient can meet their family members, adding motivation to treat the disease. After 108 days of fighting illness, the young woman was just discharged from the hospital to reunite with her family.

Le Phuong