Bhubaneswar: In a remarkable medical achievement, a team at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar successfully saved the life of a 24-year-old man whose heart had stopped beating for nearly 1.5 hours. The life-saving procedure was carried out using Extracorporeal Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (eCPR), a cutting-edge medical intervention that is revolutionizing cardiac care.
The patient was referred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar on October 1, 2024, in critical condition due to heart failure. Upon arrival, he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Despite an initial 40 minutes of conventional CPR, the patient showed no signs of cardiac activity. Faced with a crucial decision of whether to declare the patient dead or to attempt the advanced eCPR procedure, the medical team opted for the latter, hoping to revive the patient.
Led by Dr. Srikant Behera, an Intensivist and Adult ECMO specialist, the team initiated Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) after 80 minutes of cardiac arrest. This was followed by 40 minutes of eCPR, after which the patient’s heart gradually resumed beating, although initially with an irregular rhythm. Over the next 30 hours, the heart function steadily improved, and after 96 hours, the patient was successfully weaned off ECMO.
The team’s effort not only revived the patient’s heart but also addressed several life-threatening complications that arose in the following hours. The successful procedure is a testament to the team’s remarkable expertise, coordination, and dedication in handling such a complex medical situation.
Speaking about the procedure, Dr. Behera expressed his pride in the achievement, stating, “eCPR, while technically challenging, represents a promising advancement in the treatment of cardiac arrests traditionally deemed fatal. This success marks a milestone in Odisha’s medical history.”
The procedure was carried out by a multidisciplinary team, including Dr. Krishna Mohan Gulla, Dr. Sandip Kumar Panda, Dr. Siddharth Sathia, Dr. Sangeeta Sahoo, Dr. Manas R. Panigrahi, and healthcare professionals from the MICU and nursing officers.
The patient’s mother, overwhelmed with gratitude, thanked the team for their life-saving efforts. “I cannot thank AIIMS Bhubaneswar enough for giving my son a second chance at life. Their skill, compassion, and determination have worked a miracle for our family,” she said.
In recognition of the team’s success, Dr. Dillip Kumar Parida, Dr. Anupam Dey, Dr. Rashmiranjan Mohanty, and Dr. Debananda Sahoo, the medical leadership at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, congratulated the team for their exceptional accomplishment.
Dr. Ashutosh Biswas, Executive Director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, praised the team for their extraordinary efforts and emphasized the institute’s commitment to integrating technology with medical science. He stated, “AIIMS Bhubaneswar has always been at the forefront of pioneering healthcare solutions. This success is a testament to our dedication to saving lives and advancing medical practices.”
This remarkable medical breakthrough marks a new chapter in the field of cardiac care in Odisha, showcasing the potential of innovative treatments like eCPR in saving lives that would otherwise have been lost.