A New Breath After the Storm

Post-COVID Patient on ECMO Receives Life-Saving Lung Transplant by Dr. Srinath Vijayasekharan

COVID-19 left a trail of devastation — not just in the form of the acute infection, but in the lingering aftermath it imposed on survivors. For this patient recovery from COVID was not the end — it was the beginning of a deeper battle.

The virus had caused irreversible damage to both lungs, leading to end-stage respiratory failure. Despite all efforts — high-flow oxygen, ventilator support, and finally ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) — his lungs were no longer capable of sustaining life.

With no other options left, the patient was referred to Dr. Srinath Vijayasekharan, one of India’s foremost lung transplant surgeons and a pioneer in treating post-COVID lung failure.

“This patient had no lung function left. He was completely dependent on ECMO,” said Dr. Srinath. “A lung transplant was his only chance at survival.”

In a complex and high-risk procedure, Dr. Srinath and his expert transplant team performed a bilateral lung transplant — carefully replacing the damaged lungs with healthy donor lungs.

The surgery was a success.

The patient was gradually weaned off ECMO, began breathing independently, and started a new chapter — free from machines, free from breathlessness, and full of life.

“Post-COVID lung disease has become one of the most common indications for lung transplantation,” Dr. Srinath notes.

“With timely referral and expert care, we can turn the tide — and give patients a second chance to breathe freely again.”