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In the first wave of coronavirus in #Lebanon, the first Covid-19 patient at the Hotel Dieu Hospital underwent specific surgery using the Ecmo technique to help their lungs work and improve the oxygen level in their blood. This technology, found in more than 7 # Lebanese hospitals, was first used in April to treat Corona patients.
The decision was not easy, especially since this device can carry risks and health complications, but the deterioration of the patient’s condition at that time led the medical team to make the decision and use the last cartridge to save the life of the fiftieth man fighting the virus.
From April to October, this technology has become for doctors the latest cartridge in the treatment of acute cases of patients with Corona. Eight months after the # Corona pandemic in Lebanon, 3 patients underwent medical surgery to place the #ecmo device to deliver oxygen to the lungs and save the patient from death.
Days ago, the Heikal Hospital medical team managed to save a patient thanks to ECMO, and before that, the Hotel Dieu Hospital medical team also managed to rescue two patients after their health deteriorated. Doctors emphasize that this technology is a new hope for patients suffering from severe cases as a result of the virus, and it is the last cartridge we turn to in treatment.
In this regard, the specialist in respiratory diseases and medical resuscitation of the Hospital Hotel Dieu, Dr. Basem Haber, confirms that “the first surgery was in the first wave of the Corona virus in Lebanon, where the patient in his fifties suffered from serious lung infections As a result of the virus, and after his condition became critical, and with consultations, following with the medical team of the hospital, we made the decision to use ecmo technology as the last hope to treat the patient.
As it has been disclosed, there are some people who suffer from complications of the virus more than others, and their condition is more severe, but sometimes the body reacts in a certain way that leads to complications despite the fact that the person does not suffer from influencing factors or chronic diseases. However, ecmo is the last possible treatment if not all other treatments have succeeded in reducing the severity of the disease.
He noted that “ecmo depends on the type of device and on the experience of the surgeon and the medical personnel who treat it. The duration of its stay in the body varies according to the type of device, modern devices remain for 28 days, but in old we have to change the connection once a week “.
This technology is already available in 7 Lebanese hospitals, but 3 of them have turned to it today to treat # Corona patients with it, while this device is used for other medical conditions.
In this regard, Haber confirms that “the use of ecmo to treat Corona was limited to three hospitals, since we used it at the Hospital Hotel Dieu to treat two patients with it, the first recovered and returned home, and the second he has improved and the device has been removed but he is still in hospital. Haykal saved a third patient thanks to this technology, and today they are still monitoring him to make sure his lungs have improved. “
And the complications that ecmo can cause, according to the specialist in respiratory diseases and resuscitation, are numerous. This explains why resorting to it only as a last resort. It can cause bleeding, infection, progressive deficiency of immunity and blood clotting …
Before deciding to go to ecmo, the medical team meets to discuss all the options before reaching them, since it is a risky process and the patient may not improve. And after all the treatments that did not improve or give effective results in the patient were exhausted, and after follow-up with treatments in other countries that resorted to this technique, we performed the first surgery on a crown patient.
As for the second patient, the device was removed and he no longer needs it, but is still in hospital.
In the end, Haber concludes, “this technology is expensive and is not covered by some insurance companies, and we hope that in the next few days it will be covered.”
From the Hotel Dieu to the Heikal Hospital, where a similar success story was written with the ecmo device. Cardiothoracic surgery specialist Dr. Karam Karam explains in his speech to “Al-Nahar” that this surgery is the first in the North and the third in Lebanon, and we resort to this surgery when we are exhausted. All other treatments and the patient’s condition has never improved. So, it is the only solution left for doctors, and the reason for this is that its success rate does not exceed 50%. Therefore, we turn to it after the patient reaches the last stage with Corona and his condition has become very critical and dangerous, and it is considered as the last cartridge to save him.
He noted that “the cost of this surgery and technology is high and it is not recognized by the guarantors, and it is not available in all hospitals, and this is what makes this device rare, and this surgery is rare compared to others. treatments for Corona. In addition, this technique requires special training of medical personnel to monitor the oxygen and blood ratio. ” … and the device remains in the patient’s body for a month, but then we must remove it even if the patient does not improve. “
Regarding the complications of this device, Karam points out that “it can cause air clots, infections, blood clotting … There are complications that can occur, and this makes resorting to this technique the last treatment for the patient.”
Regarding the patient who underwent this surgery, Karam says: “The patient is still in intensive care after two weeks of surgery and his condition is improving, but we do not yet know if he will make a full recovery. We have to wait two weeks to monitor the improvement of his condition, and if it does not improve then this means that this treatment did not even save the patient, we have exhausted all the solutions and treatments available in Corona ”.
He pointed out that “the patient suffered from a lung disease as a result of smoking, and is overweight, and these are influential factors, but this does not mean that everyone who suffers from these factors will deteriorate their condition in this way, each organism reacts in its own way “.
He concludes by saying: “The last chance for the patient remains and is considered important because it gives hope somewhere for Corona patients. Today, we have started to see critical and advanced cases as a result of the incredibly high number of injuries recently, and we have reached to the hospital at maximum capacity and there are no more empty beds. ”
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