With pneumothorax being one of the complications in COVID-19, timely intervention by doctors saved two patients at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH).
One of them, a 45-year-old man, was discharged from the hospital after 103 days of treatment, while the other, a 37-year-old man, returned home after undergoing treatment for 95 days.
According to a press release, the 45-year-old was admitted with symptoms of COVID-19 — fever, cough and breathlessness — on September 18. RT-PCR test confirmed that his infection and a CT scan showed 95% lung involvement.
He spent 62 days in the intensive care unit and required oxygen support for 40 days. During the course of his treatment, doctors found that he had pneumothorax — collapsed lung due to leakage of air into the pleural space — and an intercostal drain was performed. He also received physiotherapy due to weak muscles. His condition improved after 103 days, following which he was discharged from the hospital on Thursday.
The second patient was admitted on September 25 with fever, cough and breathlessness. A RT-PCR test returned positive for COVID-19 and a CT scan showed 75% lung involvement. He was admitted to the ICU for 45 days and was on oxygen support. Doctors diagnosed him with pneumothorax following which intercostal drain was performed. He was discharged after 95 days of hospitalisation.
Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan met the two patients while they were being discharged on Thursday.
E. Theranirajan, dean of the RGGGH, said, “During our daily reviews, we found that pneumothorax was one of the causes of sudden deaths in patients. Spontaneous pneumothorax was one of the complications of COVID-19.”
“When the lungs collapse, patients come down with dyspnea and lose consciousness. Timely intervention will help,” he said.
