AIIMS, Bhubaneswar treats infant with rare lung disease, performs India's 1st lung washing

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar made a remarkable achievement as the hospital’s department of Paediatrics successfully treated a 22-month-old girl with a rare lung disease. The young girl with ‘Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis’ was treated after suffering difficulty in breathing. The girl had got COVID-19 infection along with her family and recovered in June 2021.

In a major achievement, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Odisha successfully treated a 22-month-old girl with rare lung disease by using the technique of washing both lungs with saline. The girl was admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with a high oxygen requirement. With the treatment, the girl also became the youngest child in the country to have undergone this procedure.

After recovering from COVID-19, the girl developed a fever with breathing difficulty. The 22-month-old girl was admitted to various hospitals of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. With no major development in the child's condition, she was finally referred to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, where she underwent the treatment. AIIMS informed that the child was suspected to be suffering from Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, a rare disease in which milk-like materials get deposited in both the lung. Washing both lungs with saline was the only treatment option, however, was technically challenging in such a sick child.

The hospital also informed that they had formed an expert team of doctors and the group decided to wash the child’s lungs by putting the child on ECMO support (Artificial lungs). The first procedure was done on August 30 and was done again on September 13 after the girl's condition improved. The girl was discharged from the hospital on Saturday with a small minimal oxygen requirement. 

India's record vaccination drive

Meanwhile, India's COVID vaccination drive is going on strong. To date, India has administered a total of 80,33,75,147 COVID vaccine doses across 54,473 vaccination sites. India administered over 77,25,076 COVID vaccine doses on September 18. In a major milestone achievement, India administered over 2 crore COVID vaccine doses on September 17. On September 18, the Ministry informed that India has exceeded the average daily COVID vaccination rate of the world's 18 major countries. The world's 18 major countries have administered 81,70,000 (8.17 million) doses of the COVID vaccine. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the entire country and healthcare workers for the achievement of the 80 Cr landmark milestone.

Image: ANI