Visakhapatnam: In a remarkable display of medical coordination and expertise, a 25-year-old engineer from Bhubaneswar, Odisha, was saved after being transported 500 kilometers on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) to KIMS ICON Hospital, Visakhapatnam.
The young man had suddenly developed multi-organ failure, including severe lung injury, cardiogenic shock, brain hemorrhage, and liver and kidney dysfunction. Local doctors in Bhubaneswar, unable to stabilize his condition, contacted KIMS ICON for advanced critical care support. Responding swiftly, a specialized team led by Dr. M. Ravikrishna, Head of Critical Care at KIMS ICON, traveled to Bhubaneswar and initiated ECMO support on-site.
The patient was then transported by road — on a portable ECMO machine — for the 500 km journey to Visakhapatnam. Except for one brief stop for blood testing, the ambulance did not halt throughout the 10-hour trip.
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“Transporting such a critically ill patient over such a long distance was an immense challenge,” said Dr. Ravikrishna. “Initiating ECMO early was the turning point — it helped prevent further organ damage and gave us time to treat the underlying cause.”
Upon arrival at KIMS ICON, the medical team began advanced treatment, including inhaled nitric oxide therapy to improve oxygen levels without affecting brain function, and other supportive care to control brain bleeding. Within five days, the patient’s condition improved dramatically, and all life-support systems — including ECMO — were successfully withdrawn.
After his stabilization, further tests were conducted to identify the cause of his sudden organ failure. Doctors discovered that he had been experiencing episodes of anxiety and excessive sweating for nearly two years. Investigations revealed Pheochromocytoma (PMC) — a rare adrenal gland tumor that releases excessive adrenaline, leading to life-threatening complications.
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He was later evaluated by Dr. Lakshminarayana (Surgical Oncologist) and Dr. Shravanthi (Endocrinologist). Four weeks after his recovery, the tumor was removed through a laparoscopic surgery, under the supervision of senior anesthetists Dr. Somaraju and Dr. Appalaraju. Tests confirmed the tumor was in its early stage and had not spread.
“This case highlights how rare endocrine disorders can sometimes present as unexplained multi-organ failure,” Dr. Ravikrishna explained. “We had to think like medical detectives — the patient’s unusual response to drugs and rapid improvement after ECMO suggested an endocrine cause rather than infection. Once treated correctly, he made a complete recovery.”
The successful long-distance ECMO transport and subsequent recovery stand as a testament to teamwork, timely medical intervention, and advanced technology at KIMS ICON Hospital.