A newborn that had passed meconium (baby’s first stool) within the mother’s womb and had inhaled it into its lungs was born in Hosur with breathing problems. This resulted in severe breathing difficulty, known as Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (MAS). The child was referred to a private hospital for treatment.
Doctors at Narayana Health City put the baby on ventilator support for three days, but its condition continued to deteriorate due to low oxygen levels and low blood pressure. As a final life-saving measure, the newborn was supported by Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO).
“The newborn had very low levels of oxygen due to meconium aspiration into his lungs. As soon ECMO was instituted, both the oxygen level and his heart function improved dramatically. The lungs also recovered after three days,” said Dr. Riyan Shetty, head, Extracorporeal Life Support, Narayana Health City.
The baby was discharged within three weeks of being admitted.
