KIMS Vizag doctors save 62-year-old woman after her heart stops three times

Visakhapatnam: Doctors at KIMS Hospital, Seethammadhara, are celebrating a major medical victory after saving a 62-year-old woman from the city whose heart stopped three separate times during her treatment.

The patient, who has diabetes, returned home this week in stable condition following a nearly three-month battle for her life that began in late January.

A dangerous start

The woman arrived at the hospital on January 21 in a critical condition. She was struggling to breathe, unable to eat and showed signs of internal bleeding. She was in medical shock, meaning her blood pressure was so low that her organs were not getting enough oxygen.

Early tests showed her body was failing in several ways:

1. Severe Blood Loss: Her haemoglobin (the protein that carries oxygen) was less than half of what it should be.

2. Kidney Struggle: Tests showed her kidneys were failing to filter waste from her blood.

3. Heart Failure: Markers for heart stress were extremely high, showing her heart was too weak to pump blood effectively.

Patient brought back from three cardiac arrests

The patient suffered three cardiac arrests during the procedure

First arrest: While doctors were performing an internal exam to find the source of her bleeding, the patient suffered her first cardiac arrest. Her heart entered a ‘lethal rhythm’ called Ventricular Tachycardia, where it beats so fast it can’t actually pump blood.

The medical team used CPR and defibrillation (electric shocks) to restart her heart. However, the crisis wasn’t over:

Second arrest: Her heart stopped again shortly after she was moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Third Arrest: Two days later, her heart stopped a third time.

In each instance, the ICU team successfully revived her. Doctors noted it was ‘highly unusual’ that she remained awake and able to follow instructions between these life-threatening events.

The long road back

Even after her heart stabilised, the patient faced a mountain of complications:

Dialysis: Because her kidneys stopped working, she needed a machine to clean her blood.

Lung Collapse: Her left lung failed, requiring doctors to perform a tracheostomy—a small surgical hole in the neck to help her breathe through a tube.

Ventilator Weaning: She spent weeks on a breathing machine, slowly relearning how to breathe on her own through specialised muscle training.

The team behind the procedure

Led by ICU chief Dr I Ramakrishna and Dr BVN Rao, a massive team of specialists—including heart, kidney, lung, and brain experts—worked together to coordinate her care.

“This case shows what happens when you don’t give up,” the medical team said. “Every specialist played a part in getting her through these setbacks.”

After successfully removing her breathing tube and stabilising her organs, the hospital cleared her to go home to her family.