30,000 chest pumps later, boy cured
AN 8-year-old boy, who received 30,000 manual chest compressions for five hours after suffering a cardiac arrest, has been discharged from hospital.
The boy, identified as Xiao Yu, was treated at Fudan University’s children’s hospital for fulminant myocarditis. After a month it was determined he was fully recovered. He will receive regular check ups.
Doctors called the boy’s recovery a “miracle of life.”
Xiao Yu was taken to a hospital in Changzhou City on September 20 by his parents after complaining of a stomach ache. He was found to have fulminant myocarditis and was transferred into intensive care immediately.
His condition deteriorated the next day so hospital staff contacted the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, who arranged to send a team with a life support system.
However, the boy’s condition worsened quickly and his heart stopped beating at 2:50pm.
More than 30 doctors performed manual chest compressions for five hours until the team arrived.
The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, provides prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to patients whose heart and lungs are unable to supply an adequate amount of oxygen exchange to sustain life. Xiao Yu was then transferred to Shanghai where his condition improved after eight days. He was removed from the ECMO on September 29.
Fulminant myocarditis is a fatal disease with an 80 to 90 percent mortality among adult patients and 70 to 80 percent mortality among child patients. The disease can cause cardiac arrest and is also likely to be confused with other diseases.
“Any delayed diagnosis or treatment can result in severe organ damage, especially serious brain injury,” said Dr Lu Guoping from the children’s hospital.
“Quick and effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation and ECMO are the most useful treatment.”
Xiao Yu’s father added: “I feel so grateful to all the medical staff who helped my son. We experienced so much pain. Now I have finally got my son back.”