Kidney, part of lung removed to save man from mucormycosis
A multidisciplinary team of three doctors gave a new of lease life to a 34-year-old man in Delhi by conducting surgery to remove his right kidney and a portion of his left lung which had been severely infected with black fungus post-COVID-19, hospital authorities said on Monday. The operation recently took place at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi.
'First such case' in the world
The hospital claimed that this case of mucormycosis, involving a kidney, lung, and sinus, was being reported in medical literature as the "first such case in the world happening after COVID-19 infection." "The patient from neighboring Ghaziabad was brought to the hospital with post-COVID-19 illness, which included breathing difficulties, blood in sputum, and high-grade fever," the hospital said in a statement.
Portion of his lung and kidney had been severely damaged
"After investigation, it was found that the mucor had not only penetrated his nasal cavity, but also his left lung and the right kidney," the hospital stated. "The portion of the lung and the kidney both had been severely damaged and there was a fear of further spread. Therefore an emergency removal of mucor-infected areas was planned," it said.
Mucormycosis is more common among people with low immunity
Mucormycosis or black fungus is more common among people whose immunity has lowered due to COVID-19, diabetes, kidney disease, liver or cardiac disorders, age-related issues, or those on medication for auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
The complicated surgery lasted for six hours
Immunocompromised patients, especially COVID-19 patients being treated with steroids, are at a high risk of contracting mucormycosis. "Since mucor is a fast-spreading disease and could have further damaged his other organs, as a life-saving procedure, immediately a part of his left lung and the entire right kidney was removed in a complicated surgery which lasted six hours," the statement said.
Here is the team of doctors who performed the surgery
"The patient has been discharged now," hospital authorities said. "The team of doctors who performed the surgery, included Dr. Sabyasachi Bal, a thoracic surgeon who removed the infected lung, Dr. Manu Gupta, a senior urologist who removed his right kidney, and Dr. Varun Rai, a consultant in the ENT department, who did sinus surgery and debridement of mucor from the nasal area," it said.
Patient has been discharged and is doing well now: Doctor
Dr. Ujjwal Parakh, senior consultant, department of chest medicine said the patient is recovering well and would be on oral anti-fungal medicine for a few more weeks. "He has been discharged after 45 days of prolonged anti-fungal therapy, and is doing well now," he said.
