Raipur Toddler Airlifted on ECMO and Treated for Chemical Pneumonitis at KIMS

Hyderabad: An 18-month-old girl from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, was saved by doctors in Hyderabad after accidentally ingesting a bottle of insecticide. The child, who was initially taken to a local hospital and then transferred to Raipur, struggled to breathe despite full ventilator support as her lungs began to fail. The Raipur hospital contacted a private children's hospital in Hyderabad for assistance.

A specialised medical team from Hyderabad, comprising two intensivists, a perfusionist, an ICU nurse, and a cardiac surgeon, flew to Raipur. Upon arrival, the team diagnosed the girl with severe chemical pneumonitis caused by hydrocarbons in the insecticide. The team decided to use extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to support her breathing and stabilise her condition.

After the procedure, the baby was transported by road to the Raipur airport and then flown via charter air ambulance to Begumpet airport in Hyderabad. From there, she was taken to KIMS Cuddles, Kondapur, where she recovered after treatment. Giving details, Dr Parag Dekate, clinical director of paediatrics and head of the paediatric intensive care unit at the hospital, said. “After 18 days, the baby fully recovered, became active, and was discharged in good health."

The team that transported the child included Dr Parag Dekate, Dr Kalyan, Dr Avinash Reddy, Dr Sandeep Janardhan, perfusionist Dayakar, PICU nurse Deepumone, and surgical sister Nagasirisha.