AGMC & GBH Hospital successfully saved the life of a young man after he suffered a severe case of pulmonary embolism, marking the first organized treatment of such a condition in the state.
On December 5, 2025, at around 12:00 PM, a 38-year-old man was rushed to the Emergency Medicine Department of GBH Hospital. He was experiencing extreme coldness throughout his body and severe shortness of breath, repeatedly asking for more oxygen. Upon immediate oxygen support, discussions with the patient’s family revealed that he had no prior illnesses or harmful habits.
On that morning, he had briefly lost consciousness, after which his breathing became increasingly difficult and his body temperature dropped significantly.
The attending emergency physicians promptly provided full oxygen support and conducted a rapid assessment. The patient was found to have critically low blood pressure and oxygen levels, with his body gradually turning cold—a sign of impending circulatory collapse. He was immediately admitted to the emergency ward, where essential treatments were initiated without delay.
Diagnostic tests confirmed that the patient was suffering from a massive pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition in which blood clots block the arteries supplying blood to the lungs. This condition has an extremely high mortality rate, ranging from 65% to 95%, with many patients dying before reaching a hospital.
The emergency medicine team, including Dr. Shirsendu Dhar, Dr. Ashis Debbarma, and Dr. Anup Laha, immediately performed central venous catheterization and administered thrombolytic therapy to dissolve the blood clots. Supportive medications to stabilize blood pressure were also given. Importantly, the clot-dissolving drugs were provided free of cost by the hospital, whereas they are otherwise sold at a premium in the market. Remarkably, all examinations and treatment began within 20 minutes of the patient’s arrival.
Gradually, the patient’s condition improved. Within six hours, his blood pressure normalized, and his oxygen requirement decreased. A follow-up CT pulmonary angiography under the supervision of the Radiology Department revealed that while the main pulmonary artery had been cleared of clots, some residual clots remained in the side branches.
Subsequently, the Cardiology Department, led by Dr. Rakesh Das, Dr. Anindya Sundar Trivedi (Head of Department), Dr. Manna Bhattacharya, Dr. Arghya Pratim Nath, Dr. Anwesha Debnath, and Dr. Prantik Roy, performed balloon pulmonary angioplasty and catheter-directed thrombolysis. These procedures successfully removed the remaining clots, restoring nearly 100% blood flow through the pulmonary arteries and normal pulmonary circulation.
On December 14, the patient was discharged from the hospital and returned home walking. Expressing their gratitude, the patient and his family thanked the AGMC & GBH Hospital authorities for the timely emergency care and comprehensive support that saved his life.
The life-saving efforts involved a dedicated team including emergency physicians, nursing staff Meena Chand, Moni Das, Juli Das, Sukriti Debnath, and Beauty Das, as well as cardiology and cath-lab staff, echoing a coordinated effort that marks a historic first in the state for such advanced pulmonary embolism management.
