Hyderabad, October 23, 2024: Dengue fever, though typically associated with symptoms like high fever, joint pain, and skin rashes, can sometimes lead to life-threatening complications. This was the case for a 51-year-old businessman who suffered severe lung damage due to dengue, leading to a critical drop in his oxygen levels. The patient was rushed to Kamineni Hospital in L.B. Nagar, where advanced medical intervention was initiated. Thanks to the swift and expert care provided by Dr. K. Venkataramana and Dr. Sringala Devijan, consultants in Critical Care Medicine at Kamineni Hospital, the patient made a full recovery in just six days after receiving ECMO treatment.

“The patient, a resident of Nacharam, came to us with drastically low oxygen saturation levels caused by the severity of his dengue infection. After a thorough assessment and consultation with his family, we initiated ECMO treatment. His lungs began to recover within six days, and we were able to remove him from the ventilator after just one additional day,” explained Dr. Devijan. The patient was discharged on the ninth day, having fully regained his health.

Dengue-related lung damage of this severity is uncommon, but in rare cases, the body’s immune system can attack its own organs—an issue that was seen in this patient. “Typically, dengue doesn’t cause such extensive lung damage. However, in this case, the immune system turned against the lungs, leading to severe complications,” added Dr. Venkataramana.

Many people view ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) as a last-resort treatment and may hesitate to opt for it. However, Dr. Devijan emphasized that “if ECMO is started at the right time, the chances of recovery significantly improve.”

ECMO functions as artificial lungs when the patient’s natural lungs are too damaged to function properly. It draws the blood, oxygenates it externally, and returns it to the body, allowing the lungs to rest and heal. “ECMO treatment requires a specialized team of critical care specialists, perfusionists, ECMO technicians, and nurses. Here at Kamineni Hospital, we are fully equipped to handle even the most complex cases,” stated Dr. Venkataramana.

Thanks to the hospital’s expertise and cutting-edge technology, the patient was able to make a swift recovery, demonstrating the life-saving potential of ECMO when used timely in cases of severe dengue complications.