When the patient developed severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) he was placed on a ventilator, then an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) but his lungs were unable to provide him with sufficient oxygen and every moment he spent without his ventilator could be his last. Due to his poor condition, a lung transplant became his only remaining option
Dr. Srinath Vijayasekharan saved a patient who was forced into ECMO and had no lung function.
“The patient was beyond help; he was on an ECMO and had no lung function. It was a race against time to locate a suitable donor and perform a transplant surgery to restore his lung function,” says Dr. Srinath.
Despite the odds, a lung transplant was possible. A bilateral lung transplant was performed by Dr. Srinath and his expert team, a complicated procedure that required the utmost precision.
After the operation, the patient was taken off the ECMO and breathing on his own. He was able to breathe without assistance for the first time in weeks.
Today he is breathing on his own, speaking and walking – all due to the miracle of organ donation and the superb medical care provided by Dr. Srinath and his team. “Witnessing your patient return to life after such a horrible tragedy is the best feeling in the world,” says Dr. Srinath
“This is what lung transplants are all about – giving people a second chance at life.”
