Coimbatore hospital saves life of man by removing mucormycosis-infected part of lung

COIMBATORE: A team of doctors in the cardiothoracic department of

Coimbatore Medical College Hospital

(CMCH) treated a 37-year-old man by removing a part of his left

lung

infected with mucormycosis.

The lower lobe, which is about 40% of the left lung, was removed in a surgical procedure thereby preventing the infection from spreading to other parts.

“While lobectomy (surgical removal of a lobe of an organ) was performed for patients with tuberculosis and fibrosis in the cardiothoracic surgery department, this is the first time that it is performed for mucormycosis in CMCH,” said CMCH dean A Nirmala.

She said mucormycosis has a systematic spread. If it goes into the blood vessel through the lung, the chance of infection spreading to other nearby organs is very high. A lobectomy procedure was essential to prevent such a condition.

A team of five doctors led by Dr E Seerinivasan, head of cardiothoracic surgery department, carried out the surgery on September 30.

The patient -- L Govindharajan of Mettur in

Salem

district -- was admitted to a private

hospital

in Coimbatore for Covid-19 treatment in April. He had a very high level of pulmonary involvement of Covid-19. He was treated and discharged. He was admitted to a private hospital in Salem a few days ago following complaints of hemoptysis (coughing up of blood). The patient was found to have his left lung’s lower lobe infected with mucormycosis.

The patient was referred to CMCH. Doctors in the cardiothoracic surgery department found that mucormycosis had completely damaged the lower part of the lung.

The patient is doing well after the surgery which was done under the chief minister comprehensive health insurance scheme. The surgery would cost around Rs 3-5 lakh in a private facility, said the dean.