AIIMS Bhubaneswar has achieved a miraculous feat by saving the life of a 24-year-old man through the advanced extracorporeal cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) procedure.

This eCPR procedure brought back the life of a young man even after his heart stopped beating for nearly 90 minutes. The young patient, Subhakant Sahu, works as a jawan in the Indian Army, Medical sources said. The patient Subhakant, was discharged from AIIMS on Monday after undergoing a 48-day treatment.

Executive director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Dr Ashutosh Biswas said: “AIIMS Bhubaneswar has always been at the forefront of integrating medical science with technology to deliver pioneering healthcare. This is a testament to our dedication to saving lives and advancing medical practices.”

Biswas said, “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”

Biswas said, “Led by Dr Srikant Behera, intensivist and adult ECMO specialist, the team initiated extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after 90 minutes of cardiac arrest. After 40 minutes of eCPR, the patient’s heart finally resumed beating, albeit with an irregular rhythm.”

The extraordinary effort involved a multidisciplinary team including Dr Krishna Mohan Gulla, Dr Sandip Kumar Panda, Dr Siddharth Sathia, Dr Sangeeta Sahoo, Dr Manas R. Panigrahi and healthcare providers from various specialities such as MICU and nursing officers.