Severe bleeding: Quick diagnosis of clot in lung helps UAE doctors save child’s life

Dubai: In a remarkable achievement, the medical team at Al Qassimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital, an Emirates Health Services (EHS) facility, successfully saved the life of a child.

The Emirati child was brought to the hospital following severe hemoptysis, with bronchoscopic examination uncovering a rare vascular malformation (arteriovenous, or AV malformation) in the lung.

Upon arrival at the hospital, the child exhibited severe hemoptysis (the expectoration of blood from the lower respiratory tract).

Immediate endoscopic examinations of the digestive system yielded no signs of bleeding, and upper respiratory bleeding was also ruled out.

Subsequently, the medical team conducted thorough bronchoscopic evaluations, uncovering a large clot in the lung airway.

Severe lung bleeding

Prompt removal was deemed necessary, revealing severe pulmonary bleeding in the lower right lung.

This was suspected to be caused by a localised vascular malformation, necessitating immediate attention and intervention.

Following the detection of the bleeding, the medical team opted for a diagnostic catheterization, which confirmed the presence of a rare vascular malformation known as “pulmonary arteriovenous fistula”.

Urgent intervention

This necessitated urgent intervention and collaborative efforts between the respiratory and cardiac teams.

Through catheterisation, the doctors successfully occluded the bleeding artery, working to prevent the recurrence of this bleeding.

Dr. Safiya Saif Al Khaja, Director of Al Qassimi Women and Children’s Hospital, praised the hospital’s cohesive teamwork.

She highlighted that the valuable collaboration among diverse medical specialties was instrumental in uncovering this rare case and managing the bleeding effectively.

Rare case

Following a precise diagnosis of the root cause, appropriate treatment was promptly administered.

This sheds light on Emirates Health Services’ dedication to providing comprehensive healthcare with a focus on quality, excellence, and professionalism across its facilities.

EHS also places a strong emphasis on continuous training for medical staff, enhancing their proficiency in performing intricate surgical procedures that require exceptional skill and efficiency.

Dr. Nader Francis, Consultant Pediatric Pulmonologist at the hospital, explained that the child’s condition is one of the rare cases that was promptly diagnosed with great accuracy, and optimal medical measures were taken to save the child’s life, who fully recovered and was discharged from the hospital after 48 hours of medical intervention.

He commended the collaborative efforts of medical teams in all specialties in delivering optimal healthcare and the high-quality medical resources provided by Emirates Health Services across all its medical facilities.