Bhubaneswar: Shubhkant Sahu, was not even aware whether he was dead or alive, till he opened his eyes on October 4 in the emergency medical care unit at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here after suffering a massive cardiac arrest on October 1. But it was an eureka moment for the medical team as they got back Sahu from the jaws of death after trying with the e-CPR system and other methods for over 96 hours.
A first of its kind medical achievement, the 24-year-old Army jawan from Nayagarh’s Ranpur area was brought back to life after his heart had stopped for nearly one and half hours. This miraculous revival, marked the first successful implementation of the e-CPR system in eastern India.
Sahu had returned home on leave from his posting in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, when he suffered a severe cardiac arrest and was rushed to AIIMS Bhubaneswar in critical condition. Despite 40 minutes of conventional CPR, his heart showed no signs of revival. Faced with the dire situation, the medical team decided to use the e-CPR system.
Over the next two hours, doctors performed marathon CPR and initiated ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation). Dr. Shrikant Behera, ECMO expert, stated, “The young patient, in critical condition with heart failure, was referred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar on October 1, 2024. Shortly after arrival, the patient suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite 40 minutes of conventional CPR, there was no cardiac activity, leading to a decision point: to declare death or attempt the cutting-edge eCPR procedure. The team initiated Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) after 80 minutes of cardiac arrest. Through 40 minutes of eCPR, the patient’s heart finally resumed beating, albeit with an irregular rhythm. Over the next 30 hours, the heart function improved significantly, and the patient was successfully weaned off ECMO after 96 hours," detailed Behera on the process.
Overwhelmed and grateful, Shubhkant’s mother, Meenati Sahu, expressed her thankfulness to the medical team. “The doctors gave my son a second life. We will always remember their skill, compassion, and determination, ” she said
What is an e-CPR System
The e-CPR system, a cutting-edge life-support mechanism, is a complex procedure rarely performed in India. According to Dr. Behera, its success in Bhubaneswar represents a milestone in Odisha’s medical history, showcasing the potential for advanced treatments in cardiac emergencies.
An extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) system can help patients who are in cardiac arrest and have not responded to conventional CPR. It requires a combined effort of a multidisciplinary team of prehospital, emergency medicine, in-hospital, proceduralist, perfusionist, and intensive care medical professionals, alongside the need of specialized equipment, including an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) device, and percutaneous catheters to be inserted into the patient's femoral vein and artery. The setup time for ECPR can range from 5 to 30 minutes.
AIIMS Bhubaneswar Executive Director, Dr. Ashutosh Bhom, commending the team said, “This achievement highlights our commitment to pioneering healthcare and saving lives through innovative technologies. It’s an example of our dedication to advancing medical science.”
While e-CPR is more commonly performed in cities like Chennai and Hyderabad, its application remains rare across India. The success at AIIMS Bhubaneswar underscores the promise of expanding such advanced care to other regions.
For Shubhkant Sahu, the story is one of survival and hope—a testament to the perseverance of medical professionals and the power of modern technology.
