Kochi: Revival of a girl child born prematurely, after having kept in a ventilator for a week following her birth due to difficulty in
breathing has now regained sound health.
Doctors from Kaloor PVS Memorial Hospital, Kochi, Kerala has claimed that it is the first time that a newborn has regained life in Kerala
after such a critical condition.
The baby was born to Rajasri and Sarveshchandra of Ernakulam, who were settled in Singapore. The baby was due on October 1993, so they
had returned to Kerala for delivery on July. Due to some complications regarding her health, Rajasri had come to PVS seeking medical
help.
The baby girl who was delivered through an emergency caesarean session on August 4, 1993, at 32 weeks gestation had difficulty in
breathing and as a result her colour changed to blue due to lack of oxygen. Sensing the dangerous condition, doctors checked her x-ray
and found that the lungs had some serious problems and the baby was immediately connected to the ventilator (Which is also called as the
artificial lung machine).
It was the first time such a case has been reported in Kerala State since the ventilator unit had been installed a month ago and the
milestone is that PVS is the Kerala's first hospital to install a ventilator unit.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Rajiv, who is the Medical Director as well as the Neonatal Specialist of the hospital. He was trained
in |Australia, Westmead Hospital, Sydney and obtained his fellowship in Neonatology.
It is usually observed that stiff lungs stop working adequately with gas exchange in kids suffering from a condition called hyalin
membrane disease. Baby who weighed only 2.1kg. Dr. Rajiv said that the baby who suffered from oxygen lack due to stiff lung due to lack
of surfactant as well baby had breathlessness had to be connected to three machines at a time; i.e., the infusion pump to control the
level of glucose entering the body, criticare monitor to control the body temperature, heartbeat and oxygen level and above all the
artificial lungs machine (to open up his stiff lungs).
Nurses were trained to observe the baby 24 hours when she was kept in the servo control incubator along with the three machines.
Dr. Rajiv and his assistant, Dr. Suma was always in the hospital and cognisant about the various conditions regarding the baby's condition
and its dangerously ill state.
A week's hard work by the doctors as well as the nurses paid off and the anxiety of the parents relieved when the baby started breathing
normally and the machines were disconnected. The baby was soon shifted to the hands of the mother.
Dr. Rajiv, who is a Master Degree holder in Pediatric Medicine, had done a training of two year and a half at the world renowned Westmead
Hospital, Sydney and obtained his fellowship before assigning as the Head of the PVS Hospital.
Dr. Rajiv said that the hospital has all the facilities as University Australian hospitals. Facilities for revival of newborns born at 6
months of pregnancy term can be arranged. Further facilities to manage newborns born before 6 months will be provided before next
January. Machines worth lakhs of rupees had already been arranged for this purpose.
For the treatment of the newborns, international standard level three equipments have also been installed. Artificial lungs(ventilator),
a monitor to review all the body function (heart rate,O2 saturation, temperature) at a time, infusion pump to monitor glucose level as per
the blood pressure level, open servo control monitor are some of them.
A ventilator trained nurse has been allotted for each patient. Syringes, tubes, etc., are disposed properly after single use. Dr. Rajiv
says that hospitals with above said facilities are almost rare in India. Centralised A/C unit fitted with filter to prevent bacteria is also provided.
Facilities are well provided to minimise problems arising during child birth like brain damage or other complications. This baby’s head
ultrasound was normal indicating a normal brain function.
The parents thanked the doctors profusely for the rebirth of the premature baby.