A New Lease of Life for a Newborn through Nitric Oxide Therapy at Apollo Adlux Hospital, Angamaly

Angamaly: In a remarkable medical achievement, Apollo Adlux Hospital, Angamaly, gave a new lease of life to a newborn baby who was battling for survival from the very moment of birth.
The baby, weighing four kilograms at birth, developed severe breathing difficulty within minutes and showed signs of extreme cyanosis, where the entire body turned bluish due to lack of oxygen. The infant was immediately shifted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and placed on ventilator support. Despite providing 100% oxygen, the baby’s oxygen saturation dropped to 75–80%, and blood pressure levels fell drastically, making the situation extremely critical.
A detailed echocardiography evaluation revealed dangerously high pressure in the lungs, and the baby was diagnosed with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) — a life-threatening condition in which increased pressure in the lung blood vessels affects normal breathing and blood circulation.
As the baby continued to fight between life and death, the medical team decided to initiate inhaled Nitric Oxide therapy on the third day of treatment. This advanced therapy helps relax and dilate the blood vessels in the lungs, improving oxygen levels in the body. Following the initiation of Nitric Oxide therapy, the baby showed rapid improvement.
After seven to eight days of intensive treatment and continuous monitoring, the newborn recovered completely and was discharged in good health.The complex treatment was successfully carried out under the leadership of Dr. Gino Joseph, Senior Consultant, Neonatology, and Dr. Nice Johnson, Associate Consultant. Hospital authorities stated that timely intervention and advanced medical care played a crucial role in saving the baby’s life even in such a critical situation.