A 19-year-old girl has been treated in a private hospital in city for dengue encephalitis and several complications.
The patient had developed high fever, disorientation and confusion. In the next two days, she developed prolonged seizures and did not respond adequately to medications. She was brought to Kauvery Hospital in an unconscious state after seeking treatment in several hospitals. At the hospital, the emergency medical team stabilised her and provided critical care.
An MRI brain scan revealed multiple lesions and she was transferred to the intensive care unit for treatment. While blood tests confirmed dengue and she was administered intravenous immunoglobulin, her condition did not improve. Another MRI revealed an increase in the volume of brain fluid and obstruction to its flow. The patient underwent surgery to reroute the obstructed fluid and her condition began to improve.
Venkatraman Karthikaeyan, consultant neurologist, specialist in neuroimmunology and Parkinson’s disease at the hospital, said, “Dengue can affect the brain and cause immunological damage to the brain cells. Timely initiation of immunotherapy can lead to recovery in some cases.” The patient developed several infections and was in the ICU for over a week. She was then moved to the ward where she began to recover slowly. She was discharged as the MRI findings were normal. She can recognise, speak and respond to commands, indicating that she is on the road to recovery. She is on rehabilitation and follow- up care.
The hospital’s co-founder and executive director, Aravindan Selvaraj, said, “It is crucial to treat dengue under careful observation and monitoring as it can lead to complications, as in the case of the 19-year-old girl. The team of emergency physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons and critical care specialists collaborated to take rapid and ideal actions to save her life.”
