KOCHI : The intervention of a Kochi-based hepatologist saved the life of a passenger on an Akasa Air flight that was going from Kochi to Mumbai on January 14. Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, a senior hepatologist at the Rajagiri Hospital, Aluva, intervened when a fellow passenger experienced breathing difficulties due to low oxygen levels and high blood pressure.
Dr Abby diagnosed pleural effusion in the left lung and recorded a blood pressure of 280/160. Finding that the semi-conscious passenger suffered from kidney failure and underwent thrice-weekly dialysis, he accessed the patient’s phone for prescribed high blood pressure medication.
Despite facing challenges due to the movement of the plane, Dr Abby administered the medication intramuscularly and it effectively lowered the patient’s blood pressure. The patient was admitted to a nearby hospital after landing in Mumbai. After undergoing emergency dialysis, the patient is on the path to recovery.