AIIMS Nagpur doctors save five-year-old with kidney, respiratory failure after 3 months of treatment

Mumbai: After hectic and dedicated efforts for nearly three months, doctors at the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur, managed to save the life of a five-year-old critical child from Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh.

The child was admitted in coma and acute kidney failure following suspected consumption of a toxic cough syrup.

The child was referred to AIIMS Nagpur on September 11, 2025 and admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in a state of deep coma, severe hypotension, multi-organ dysfunction, and near-absent brainstem reflexes. He was immediately placed on mechanical ventilation and underwent emergency dialysis within hours of admission.

The case was managed under the leadership of Dr. Meenakshi Girish, Department of Pediatrics, with intensive critical care support in the PICU led by Dr. Abhijeet Chaudhary, PICU In-charge, along with Dr Abhishek Madhura and the entire dedicated pediatrics team. 

A coordinated multidisciplinary approach involving pediatric intensivists, pediatric neurologists, nephrologists, ophthalmologists, nursing staff, and rehabilitation teams was followed throughout the prolonged course of treatment.

Despite being in a deep coma, the child was continued on sustained life-support measures. Over time, gradual neurological recovery was observed. 

The child later developed severe septicemia with shock, requiring advanced cardiac support, multiple blood transfusions, prolonged antibiotic therapy, and a tracheostomy for long-term ventilatory support.

After nearly three months of continuous intensive critical care, the child was successfully weaned off ventilatory support and shifted to a high-dependency unit.

With nutritional, physical, and neurological rehabilitation, he gradually regained speech and responsiveness and began interacting meaningfully with parents and doctors. Vision assessment revealed optic nerve damage with severe visual impairment. 

Following timely ophthalmological intervention and immunosuppressive therapy, the child has shown partial recovery with perception of light. He is now clinically stable and planned for discharge after over three months of hospitalisation.

The case was closely supported at the administrative level by Medical Superintendent Dr. Nilesh Nagdeve, Joint Medical Superintendent and Dr. Nitin Marathe, who ensured uninterrupted availability of critical care resources, dialysis support, blood products, and logistics during the prolonged treatment period.

Importantly, all treatment charges were fully waived by AIIMS Nagpur, reflecting the Institute’s commitment to equitable and compassionate care.

In a statement, Dr. Prashant. P. Joshi, Executive Director, AIIMS Nagpur, said, "This case reflects the extraordinary commitment, clinical excellence, and perseverance of our pediatric and critical care teams. The decision to continue intensive support despite extremely poor initial prognosis demonstrates the values of AIIMS-where every life matters. I commend the Department of Pediatrics, PICU team, nursing staff, and AIIMS Nagpur administration for their coordinated efforts in achieving this remarkable outcome.”