Bhubaneswar: A 49-year-old woman police officer has recovered from a critical and highly complex illness after spending 36 days on advanced ECMO support, with doctors describing her recovery as a rare medical success against overwhelming odds.AIIMS Bhubaneswar treated the officer from Jharsuguda with 36 days of prolonged venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) support for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), marking a significant achievement in advanced intensive care medicine, according to an official statement issued by the institute on Wednesday.She was initially admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on April 18 with severe pneumonia. Despite intensive care and mechanical ventilation, her oxygen levels continued to decline. As her condition deteriorated into critical respiratory failure, she was referred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar on May 7 for advanced life support.On arrival at the medical intensive care unit (MICU) in a critically ill condition, a team led by Dr Srikant Behera, an intensive care medicine specialist and ECMO expert, initiated VV-ECMO therapy. The patient remained on continuous ECMO support from May 7 to June 12, giving her lungs time to recover while she received comprehensive critical care.After gradual improvement, she was weaned off ECMO on June 12 and taken off mechanical ventilation on June 27. Her tracheostomy was decannulated on June 29, and she was shifted from the MICU to the general medicine ward on July 6. She was completely weaned off supplemental oxygen by July 18.After making a full recovery and regaining independence in daily activities, she was discharged on July 24.Congratulating the medical team, AIIMS Bhubaneswar executive director Dr Ashutosh Biswas described the case as a remarkable clinical achievement. “The institute continues to strengthen its position as a leading centre for advanced intensive care and extracorporeal life support in eastern India,” he said.
