In a remarkable medical feat, a multidisciplinary team at IPGMER (SSKM) saved 22-year-old Suhana Parvin from a life-threatening combination of three rare conditions following childbirth. After over a month in critical care, Parvin is on the road to recovery and preparing to reunite with her newborn daughter.
Parvin, a resident of Akra, gave birth to her baby girl on November 17 at Chittaranjan Seva Sadan. Two days later, she developed limb weakness, respiratory distress, and blindness. Transferred to the Bangur Institute of Neurosciences (BIN), doctors diagnosed her with a rare combination of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES), Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), and Peripartum Cardiomyopathy with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.
“Three rare diseases made this an extraordinarily challenging case,” said neurology professor Dr. Atanu Biswas. Parvin’s GBS variant, acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), caused severe muscle weakness, while PRES led to seizures and blindness. Additionally, heart complications and pneumonia further jeopardized her condition.
The critical care unit (CCU) team, led by critical care professor Dr. Sugata Das Gupta and associate professor Dr. Samarendra Nath Samui, took on the challenge of stabilizing her. “We were battling four simultaneous issues—neurological drowsiness, respiratory muscle weakness, heart failure, and severe pneumonia,” explained Dr. Das Gupta. Advanced ventilation and intensive care were key to her recovery.
Parvin’s condition gradually improved, and on New Year’s Day, doctors wheeled her out of the CCU. While she remains under observation, she is expected to return home soon to her family.
Her husband, Sk Anwar, expressed relief and anticipation, saying, “We are eagerly waiting for her to come home.” Meanwhile, Parvin’s newborn daughter is reportedly doing well under family care.
As reported by timesofindia, this extraordinary case underscores the importance of coordinated, multidisciplinary medical care in managing complex health crises.