BENGALURU: A 78-year-old NRI patient from Bengaluru has become Asia’s oldest recipient of a high-risk bilateral lung transplant performed at a private hospital in Chennai. Rishi (name changed), was suffering from aspiration pneumonia (a condition when food or liquid is breathed into the airways of the lungs instead of being swallowed), along with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Doctors said that the patient had choked on food while attending a wedding and had difficulty breathing the same night. He was taken to a hospital where food particles were found stuck in his lungs. He was put on a ventilator for 15 days, as his oxygen saturation levels went below 40 per cent, but his condition did not improve. Since there were no signs of improvement, he was initiated on ECMO (Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation).
Despite being kept on ECMO for over 50 days, his condition did not improve, and he was transferred to Chennai’s MGM Healthcare. Since the patient was fit otherwise, a lung transplant surgery was advised. He was accordingly registered in Tamil Nadu for a bilateral lung transplant and underwent the procedure, following the availability of a suitable donor.
Dr KR Balakrishnan, Director, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support and Consultant (cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon), MGM Healthcare, explained: “Given the patient’s condition, there were several challenges while performing the surgery. He was transferred to the ICU immediately after the procedure to ensure his well-being, and he will be transferred in the coming days.”