Man with rare Guillain-Barre Syndrome post-COVID treated at Delhi hospital, recovering

A 47-year-old man who h tested COVID-positive and later was diagsed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare condition in which immune system attacks nerves, has been successfully treated at a facility here, hospital authorities said on Saturday.

Guillain-Barre syndrome or GBS may be triggered by acute bacterial or viral infection in which body loses its power to move. As GBS progresses, muscles weaken which can evolve into paralysis if t detected early, y said.

" 47-year-old COVID-positive patient, who has developed GBS after contracting virus, was recently presented to COVID-19 emergency ward in extreme respiratory distress," a spokesperson of hospital said.

team of doctors at Fortis hospital, Vasant Kunj, led by Gauri Shankar Sharma, he, critical care and Abhilekh Srivastava, consultant, neurology "determined that condition was COVID-induced," hospital claimed.

re is kwn cure for GBS, but treatment can ease symptoms and reduce duration of illness, doctors said.

A multi-disciplinary approach was opted to treat patient, consisting of doctors from critical care, neurology, gastroenterology, and endocrilogy, spokesperson said.

"His oxygen levels were in range of 70-74 per cent, his sugar level very high, h ketones in urine and was in diabetic ketoacidosis. His COVID-19 rapid antigen test done in ER was positive. In view of respiratory distress and difficulty in breathing, he required endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation," said Gauri Shankar Sharma, he, critical care at facility.

He underwent a series of investigations, including blood test and CT scan of chest. With treatment his condition improved, his sugar was corrected with insulin, and his acidosis resolved, doctor said.

"On improvement of condition when his sedative medications were discontinued, it was ticed that he has muscle weakness which is making it difficult to get him out of ventilator, at this point of time neurological consultation was taken," Sharma said.

Abhilekh Srivastava, consultant neurology, said after examining patient, it was found that he h weakness in all four limbs and muscles of his face.

"A provisional diagsis of Guillain-Baare syndrome was me, based on clinical picture, which was subsequently confirmed, based on nerve conduction tests and a lumbar puncture examination. He was quickly started on treatment with intraveus immuglobulins for five days," he said.  Towards end of rapy, his requirement of a ventilator reduced significantly, and he was able to regain some mobility, though his cough reflex was b, doctors said.

He required per cutaneous tracheostomy for his weak cough reflex. Post tracheostomy, he was completely weaned off from ventilator and in a few weeks, he was able to sit in a wheelchair by himself, hospital said.

"Two weeks after being discharged, his tracheostomy was removed, and he was able to brea rmally. He will take time to recover completely and will have to undergo regular physiorapy," spokesperson said.