Nearly died after 7 days of high fever.

With a fever of 39-40 degrees Celsius, 44-year-old Ms. Dung from Hanoi self-treated at home but her condition did not improve. By the time she experienced difficulty breathing and was taken to the hospital, she was already in a coma with severe respiratory failure and at high risk of death.

Present at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases on June 2nd, Mr. Son, Mrs. Dung's son, was deeply moved to see his mother completely healthy and able to be discharged from the hospital, something he never imagined just half a month ago.

Initially, she had a fever of 39-40 degrees Celsius, accompanied by chills. Ms. Dung self-medicated with fever-reducing drugs at home. Later, she experienced loose stools and a cough with white phlegm. She went to a nearby hospital for examination and was prescribed outpatient treatment. After three days, her shortness of breath worsened, and her family took her to the 19/8 Hospital, where she was already in a coma.The patient was diagnosed with severe pneumonia and right respiratory failure.Insert endotracheal tube, provide mechanical ventilation, and transfer to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

After 7 days of ECMO treatment, the patient's health gradually improved. Photo: BSCC.

Dr. Vu Dinh Phu, Head of the Intensive Care Unit at the Tropical Diseases Hospital, said the patient was transferred on May 18th in a state of very severe respiratory failure.The damage had spread to three-quarters of the body. The only way to save the patient at this point was ECMO - extracorporeal oxygenation.This is an effective resuscitation measure for patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome.

After 7 days of ECMO treatment, the patient's health improved and they no longer needed mechanical ventilation; the endotracheal tube was removed. One day later, the patient was able to breathe on their own.After 15 days in the hospital, the patient has now been discharged.

The patient's smile on the day of discharge. Photo: NP

Dr. Nguyen Van Kinh, Director of the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said:ECMO is a specialized resuscitation technique that uses a machine to draw blood from the patient, pass it through a membrane exchange to provide oxygen and remove carbon dioxide—replacing the function of the patient's lungs and heart. This is extracorporeal respiratory and circulatory support. This is the hospital's first case where the ventilator was removed before ECMO was discontinued, avoiding the risk of secondary infection and giving the patient a chance to breathe naturally.

This technique shortens treatment time, promotes rapid recovery of lung respiratory function, and reduces lung damage sequelae. At the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, before the implementation of this technique, the mortality rate for patients with critical pneumonia was over 80%. Currently, many patients are saved thanks to ECMO.

This technique helps minimize mortality for patients; however, it is expensive, averaging around 300-500 million VND, and health insurance currently does not cover the cost of this treatment.

According to VNE