A 1-year-7-month-old baby boy, Rudra Jha (name changed), recently made a miraculous recovery at Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital in Mumbai after battling a life-threatening multi-organ infection.
According to a research by the National Institute of Health, multi-organ infection in infants is characterised by the simultaneous failure or dysfunction of organs or organ systems, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, renal, haematological and hepatic systems. “It is common in patients admitted to paediatric intensive care units (PICUs), occurring in nearly 20% of children on admission,” the report states.
Rudra was brought to the emergency department of Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital in a critical condition. Initially, he was seen by Dr Paresh Desai, Senior Consultant in Pediatric Medicine, during an outpatient visit. Dr Desai quickly recognised the severity of the situation and urged Rudra’s parents to rush him to the hospital’s emergency room.
Severity of the Condition
When Rudra arrived, his condition was extremely alarming. He was struggling to breathe, with cold and blue extremities, and his blood pressure was dangerously low. His parents were distraught, having witnessed their child’s rapid decline over the previous three days, which included persistent vomiting, diarrhoea, and a loss of consciousness.
A team of doctors, led by Dr Soonu Udani, Medical Director and Head of Paediatric Critical Care Services, and Dr Aoyon Sengupta, Senior Consultant in Critical Care, immediately sprang into action. They knew they had to work quickly to save Rudra’s life. The team started with life-saving procedures, including inserting an IV line to administer fluids and medications. Rudra was then swiftly moved to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), where he was placed on a ventilator to assist with his breathing. Medications were administered to stabilise his blood pressure, and powerful antibiotics were used to combat the infection.
Further examination revealed that Rudra had a severe infection on his scalp, which had led to blood poisoning and septic shock, a condition that can be fatal. This infection had spread to his liver, kidneys, and lungs, causing multiple complications. His bone marrow was also affected, leading to dangerously low levels of blood cells. The situation was dire, and the doctors knew they were in a race against time.
Dr Aoyon Sengupta described Rudra’s condition as very critical and requiring immediate, comprehensive medical intervention. "Our team worked tirelessly to manage the infection and stabilise him. He was monitored 24/7 in the PICU, and seeing him recover was incredibly rewarding," Dr Sengupta shared.
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Recovery
Rudra’s condition began to stabilise within 48 hours. His organ functions started to improve as the infection was brought under control. After seven days in the PICU, Rudra was strong enough to be taken off the ventilator. He continued to recover and was eventually discharged from the hospital, fully healthy.
Rudra’s recovery reminds us why and how early detection and on time medical intervention is important to treat even severe conditions and save lives.