Innovative Technology Revives Young Girl Suffering from Viral Heart Infection

New Delhi: In a dramatic development, an 11-year-old girl from Delhi, who had initially visited two emergency rooms due to severe chest pain, has made a remarkable recovery. This was made possible by the skilled team at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and a life-saving procedure known as e-CPR.

“E-CPR, or extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a technology that provides life-saving support in severe cardiac arrest cases. It temporarily takes over heart and lung functions, helping with oxygenation and pumping blood to maintain blood pressure and organ supply. This gives the body critical time to recover. This advanced intervention is essential for saving lives in extreme emergencies. This young girl probably would not have survived without the timely support of ECMO,” explained Dr. Mridul Agarwal, Senior Consultant of Pediatric Cardiology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. Dr. Raja Joshi, Chairman Department of Pediatric Cardiac Science, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, has initiated the process of ECMO.

The young girl first went to two emergency rooms, where doctors suspected her chest pain was due to a stomach issue. They treated her for that, but when her condition didn’t improve, she came to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for further examination. An ECG (electrocardiogram) revealed something troubling, so she was admitted right away for more tests.

Initially, she appeared stable, but an echocardiogram (an ultrasound of the heart) showed her heart was functioning at just 25% of its normal capacity. Her condition took a turn for the worse when she began experiencing severe heart rhythm problems. Despite medication to manage her symptoms, her situation continued to decline, and her blood pressure dropped very low.

Facing the critical risk of heart failure, the team made a pivotal decision to prepare for ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation). This advanced machine acts as an artificial heart and lungs, allowing her heart and lungs to rest and recover.” We put her on ECMO just in time, as she was on the brink of a heart arrest,” said Dr. Mridul Agarwal.

After seven intense days on ECMO, her heart showed significant improvement, so she was taken off from ECMO, and she was eventually able to leave the hospital with her heart functioning normally. Tests later confirmed that a viral infection had caused her heart problem, known as viral myocarditis.

Dr. Ajay Swaroop, Chairman Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, and Dr. D.S. Rana, Chairman, Sir Ganga Ram Trust Society, were in contact with the parents all along and helped them to bear the cost of the treatment significantly.

Covid has taught that viral infection can affect any organ. Infection of the heart is called viral myocarditis. The effects of the infection can be mild, which means the child may not feel discomfort except general unwellness and recover completely.

The infection can be severe where the child feels discomfort and distress, and sometimes chest pain, and can lead to significant compromise and hospitalization and treatment.

In rare cases, it could be fulminant and progress very rapidly, and medical management may not be enough, and here sometimes we may need ECMO support.

So this child presented to us with a complaint since one day and was deteriorating fast, despite medical management. So here ECMO support was used.

This case underscores the importance of e-CPR (extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation), a sophisticated technique used in extreme situations when the heart stops beating. “We are overjoyed to have successfully used this procedure to save her life.” Said Dr. Raja Joshi.

To express her gratitude, the young girl even created a beautiful painting, a heartfelt symbol of her recovery and the exceptional care she received from our team. Her story is a testament to the power of advanced medical technology and the dedication of healthcare professionals.