Potentially fatal clotting cases in Covid patients on rise: Dr HS Bedi
Dr Bedi cautioned that all cases of Covid should be very thoroughly checked
cityairnews
Jun 3, 2021 06:52
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Mohali: “Covid patients are at risk of thrombosis in the arteries and veins because of inflammatory changes and Covid induced endothelial damage. In fact it is not just the virus but also our hyper acute immune response (a part of cytokine storm) that causes the thrombotic state. The clot can occur in the limb ,heart, brain, lungs and other organs.”
While giving this information, Dr Harinder Singh Bedi, Director of Cardiovascular Sciences at Ivy Hospital Mohali said that 35-yr old Ravish Kumar (name changed) was in a very difficult situation. He had suffered from acute Covid infection and was admitted in a hospital.
On the 2nd day of his therapy he was noted to have a severe pain in the right foot along with discoloration. He was diagnosed with a clotting in his leg artery with gangrene which was spreading rapidly.
He was referred to Dr Bedi who has seen and treated such disease in non-Covid cases in the Escorts Heart Delhi and St Vincents Hospital Sydney.
Dr Bedi said that we realized that this was a double attack on the patient with ongoing Covid with clotting in his main leg artery with extending gangrene.
Though generally surgery is best avoided in acute Covid because of risk to patient and medical staff – but this is one of the indications for emergency surgery. All medical staff are vaccinated and complete PPE kits are provided to all. The patient was taken for immediate surgery and huge amounts of clots were removed by surgery. The pulsations returned in the limb. The patient was nursed in the special Covid ICU which is separate from the non Covid part of the hospital.
The other members who were part of this delicate surgery included; Dr Vikram Arora and Dr Jiten Singh.
Dr Bedi who is also a President of the prestigious Venous Association of India (VAI) whose members have a keen interest in the treatment of clotting disorders especially now in Covid times .
It has shown that in Covid the major part of the damage is due to blood clotting especially in the lungs.
Dr Bedi has been treating a number of cases in Punjab during and after Covid with blood clots. The Ivy Hospital is fully geared to treat such life and limb threatening complications in Covid patients as they have fully trained professionals and anti- Covid gear for health care workers.
Dr Bedi cautioned that all cases of Covid should be very thoroughly checked for the development of this dreaded complication and preventive and therapeutic measures taken immediately even in active Covid positive cases.
