Doctors at KIMS Cuddles, Kondapur, achieved a major clinical breakthrough by saving the life of a 14-year-old girl through ultra-rapid veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO). Doctors admitted the child in a critical state with severe pneumococcal pneumonia, empyema, profound hypoxaemia, and septic shock.
Critical Referral and Emergency ECMO Planning
Sharing the details, Dr Parag Dekate, Clinical Director (Paediatrics) and Head of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), said the girl, a resident of Mulugu village in Medak district, arrived in an extremely unstable condition. She had failed to respond to treatment and was already on mechanical ventilation at the referring centre. As her condition deteriorated rapidly, the PICU team activated an emergency “scoop-and-run” ECMO retrieval strategy, planning ECMO support even before her arrival at the hospital.
Ultra-Rapid Cannulation Saves a Life
Despite maximum conventional support after admission, the child’s oxygen levels continued to decline. Acting swiftly, the multidisciplinary PICU team completed VV-ECMO cannulation within 50 minutes of arrival and initiated ECMO support in less than one hour. “This ultra-rapid decision-making and execution proved crucial in saving her life,” Dr Parag said.
Eight Days on ECMO and Gradual Recovery
As per the press release, the patient remained on VV-ECMO support for eight days. ECMO, an advanced life-support therapy, is used when the lungs fail to oxygenate blood adequately. Gradually, her oxygenation and respiratory parameters improved, allowing doctors to successfully decannulate her and wean her off the ventilator.
Referral Pathway and Advanced Care
Initially, the child received treatment at a hospital in Kompally under the care of Dr Mahipal, where she was managed with advanced ventilation support. Subsequently, doctors referred her to KIMS Cuddles, Kondapur, for ultra-rapid ECMO intervention, which proved decisive.
Rare Complication Managed Successfully
During her recovery, the child developed a rare complication—a small bowel obstruction caused by an intestinal blood bezoar, an uncommon ECMO-related event. The medical team identified the condition promptly and managed it successfully through timely paediatric surgical intervention.
Discharge After Prolonged Intensive Care
After 35 days of intensive care and multidisciplinary monitoring, doctors discharged the girl in a stable condition with complete neurological recovery. This marked a remarkable outcome given the severity of her illness.
Teamwork and Infrastructure Key to Success
Dr Parag emphasised that timely ultra-rapid ECMO initiation and coordinated retrieval protocols were critical. He added that the availability of a strong multispecialty team under one roof played a decisive role in the child’s survival. The treating team included Dr Parag Dekate, Dr Avinash Reddy P., Dr Kalyan K., Dr L. Sri Vidya, and Dr Vinod P., supported by dedicated nursing, perfusion, and transport teams. Additionally, the paediatric surgery team—Dr Yoganagendra, Dr Manisha Reddy, and Dr Ashish Kodali—made a vital contribution to the child’s recovery.