Dengue encephalitis: Man slips into deep coma, revived after 30 days

Bengaluru: Thirty-seven-year-old Deva, a railway employee, was suffering from fever for more than a week, and when his consciousness deteriorated, he was admitted to the emergency room at Fortis Hospitals, Cunningham road. After repeated seizures, he slipped into coma. 

“He was immediately put on the ventilator support and all required instructions were carried out, which included blood investigations, brain scan and spine fluid test. The investigations revealed that the patient had dengue infection. However, the MRI brain scan showed severe brain injury in crucial parts,” revealed Dr Nithin Kumar N., Consultant Neurologist at Fortis Hospitals, Cunningham road. 

With no options left, doctors considered medication which can modulate the altered immune system, which has been administered rarely in some patients in the past with a small chance of good outcome. 

With such brain lesions, the chance of recovery is usually considered very poor. 
However, the patient survived with the collective work of doctors.

Dr Nithin said, “The case was complex and one of its kind as the patient’s brain lesions were unusual. The MRI of his brain showed pictures of dengue encephalitis, a rare manifestation of dengue fever, because of which his survival chances were minimal. However, we did not lose hope and continued the medications, even after the patient being in coma for 30 days. With the treatment of his immune system, he improved and was removed from the ventilator. He started showing positive signs like blinking and smiling. After a few weeks’ time, he was removed from all forms of life support. He became completely conscious by the mid of fifth week and started speaking coherently. He has been recommended to undergo physiotherapy at home."

Surprisingly, Deva started showing good response by two weeks after the therapy. 

He started opening his eyes and moving his hands and gradually started following verbal commands. 

By the next two weeks, he was out of the ventilator and was able to speak clearly with significant recovery in his mental functions. 

With rehabilitation, he was even able to stand with support and took 2-3 steps at the time of discharge.