Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Agartala: Doctors at Agartala Government Medical College and GB Pant Hospital performed Tripura's first Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation procedure. They treated a 25-year-old woman suffering from severe paraquat poisoning. The patient ingested the toxic herbicide, which ravaged her lungs and kidneys. Her oxygen levels tanked to 30 to 40 percent even while on a ventilator.
Staff moved her from the Medicine Ward to the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Department as her condition worsened. They started ECMO on Monday night. The machine takes over the work of the lungs by oxygenating blood and scrubbing out carbon dioxide. Dr Kanak Narayan Bhattacharya led the surgical team. Other members included Dr Rimjhim Chakma, perfusionists Sujan Sahu and Sourav Tripura, and cardiac OT technologists.
The patient's kidneys remain non-functional. Medical teams are currently coordinating with the Principal and Nephrology Department to set up dialysis. The Health Department noted that paraquat poisoning is deadly. Experts hope this medical intervention buys enough time for the body to heal. "ECMO may provide a crucial window for intensive treatment and recovery," doctors stated regarding the high-stakes procedure.
GB Pant Hospital provided the entire treatment free of charge. Similar care in private facilities often runs upwards of Rs 20 lakh. This marks a major shift for public healthcare in the state, proving that advanced life support is now available locally.
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