Apollo Hospitals Saves 41-Year-Old Woman with Double Lung Transplant After 119 Days on Artificial Lung Support
- One of the world’s longest reported VV-ECMO bridges to bilateral lung transplantation using a single oxygenator without circuit exchange
- Patient survives irreversible lung damage caused by accidental paraquat poisoning
Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, has successfully performed a life-saving bilateral lung transplant on a 41-year-old woman after supporting her on an artificial lung (VV-ECMO) for 119 consecutive days, one of the longest reported successful VV-ECMO bridges to lung transplantation using a single oxygenator without circuit exchange.
The patient suffered irreversible lung damage after accidentally ingesting less than 50ml of Paraquat, a highly toxic herbicide that rapidly causes progressive organ failure, with kidneys and lungs being the most susceptible. Her lungs continued to deteriorate such that even mechanical ventilation was inadequate and had to be rescued on artificial circulatory support. She was then airlifted to the Heart and Lung Transplant Service at Apollo Hospital, Greams Road, Chennai, on VV-ECMO. While Intensive Care management helped restore her kidney function, her lungs were irreversibly damaged, making a bilateral lung transplant her only chance of survival.
Over nearly four months on ECMO, Apollo Hospitals multidisciplinary team successfully managed multiple medical challenges, including temporary kidney failure, bloodstream infection, pressure sores and prolonged rehabilitation. Throughout this period, the same ECMO circuit and oxygenator functioned without replacement through meticulous monitoring and expert clinical management.
Following the availability of a suitable donor, the patient underwent a successful double lung transplant, was weaned off ECMO, completed rehabilitation and was discharged just five weeks later, breathing independently and reunited with her family.
“This achievement highlights the impact of meticulous ECMO management, specialized transplant anaesthesia, intensive care, and multidisciplinary teamwork in delivering exceptional outcomes for patients with end-stage lung failure,” said Dr. Pradeep Kumar, Senior Consultant & Clinical Lead – ECMO Services, Heart & Lung Transplant Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai.
Dr. Kumud Kumar Dhital, Program & Surgical Director, Heart & Lung Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS), Apollo Hospitals Chennai, said, “This case demonstrates what can be achieved when the collaboration of multidisciplinary expertise comes together in the form of a single dedicated and unified team that relentlessly focuses on saving lives in the most challenging circumstances. After being bed-bound for months, the reward of seeing the patient walk out of the hospital breathing on her own, and without oxygen, is a
testament to clinical excellence at Apollo Hospitals and the life-changing impact of organ donation.”
Dr. Ilankumaran Kaliamoorthy, CEO – Chennai Region, Apollo Hospitals, said, “This is more than a transplant success. It is a powerful reminder of the transformative impact of organ donation, combined with the expertise, perseverance and compassion of our clinical teams, in giving patients a second chance at life. At Apollo Hospitals, we remain committed to advancing patient care and innovation so that more patients can benefit from life-saving treatments once considered beyond reach.”
Paraquat poisoning remains one of the deadliest forms of poisoning due to its irreversible effects on the lungs. This landmark case reinforces that, in carefully selected patients managed at experienced transplant centres, prolonged ECMO support can successfully bridge patients to life-saving lung transplantation while underscoring the critical importance of organ donation. Coincidentally, during this patient’s hospital stay, the Indian Central Government, through its Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, issued a draft Banning of Paraquat Dichloride Order on the 13 July 2026. It proposes a complete prohibition of the import, manufacture, transport, distribution, sale, and use of this herbicide that is lethal to humans and animals. This remarkable legislative progress, which will help save many lives, follows similar legislation in over 70 countries worldwide.