Bangalore, India – July 2025
In a world where medical emergencies strike without warning, and outcomes can be uncertain, a remarkable story has emerged from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Ovum Woman and Child Speciality Hospital, Hoskote — one that exemplifies the power of modern medicine, timely decisions, and unyielding teamwork.
A three-year-old girl, born of a consanguineous marriage and already battling mild developmental delays, was wheeled into the ER in an unresponsive state. The events that followed not only saved her life but also inspired everyone who witnessed her journey — from doctors to nurses, and from parents to onlookers.
A Race Against Time Begins
It was an ordinary day for the ER team until the child arrived, limp and pale. She had suffered a day of diarrhea and breathing difficulty, but what had started as a minor illness rapidly spiraled into a medical emergency. Upon arrival, her oxygen levels were dangerously low (SpO₂ 45%), and her blood pressure had crashed to 70/30 mmHg — clear signs of shock and respiratory failure.
Recognizing the urgency, the hospital’s emergency unit, led by Dr. Pramod V U (PICU Incharge) and Dr. Somashekhar P V (PICU Consultant), wasted no time. The initial attempt with bag-mask ventilation failed to stabilize her oxygen levels. Without hesitation, the team performed a rapid sequence intubation.
What they saw next confirmed their worst fears — frothy secretions in the airway, signaling pulmonary edema, a life-threatening fluid build-up in the lungs. An immediate bedside ultrasound revealed moderate left ventricular dysfunction and fluid overload — an indication that her heart was overwhelmed.
Lasix, a diuretic, was administered promptly, and she was shifted to the PICU for intensive care.
Reviving a Failing System
Once in the PICU, the focus shifted to stabilizing her internal systems. Her blood gas analysis painted a grim picture: severe metabolic acidosis with unrecordable pH and a lactate level of 9.2 mmol/L, confirming cellular energy failure and systemic collapse.
Alongside broad-spectrum antibiotics, the team initiated a critical metabolic cocktail therapy — a combination of thiamine, biotin, pyridoxine, Coenzyme Q10, riboflavin, and carnitine. Given her background and rapid deterioration, there was strong suspicion of an underlying mitochondrial disorder — a rare but dangerous metabolic condition.
This cocktail wasn’t just a treatment — it was a lifeline.
A Silent Brain Speaks Volumes
While her heart and lungs were slowly responding, her brain remained silent. The unresponsiveness hinted at neurological compromise, possibly acute encephalopathy.
This is where Dr. Sharath Babu M D, Consultant Pediatric Neurologist, entered the scene. His intervention was strategic and focused. He recommended a course of neuroprotective measures, including hypertonic saline to reduce cerebral edema, and meticulous neurological monitoring to ensure brain recovery aligned with the improving physical vitals.
His contribution was a game-changer. With the brain now part of the healing conversation, the child’s recovery trajectory accelerated.
A Miracle in Motion
In the next 48 hours, hope started to surface.
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Her blood pressure stabilized.
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Acidosis reversed.
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She was weaned off the ventilator with a successful CPAP trial, then transitioned to high-flow oxygen, and finally to room air.
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She opened her eyes.
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She followed light.
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She smiled.
By Day 5, she was not only stable but thriving. Her oral feeding resumed, her inotropes were tapered off, and she no longer needed any breathing support. The child who had arrived unconscious and on the verge of death was now sitting up in bed — laughing, eating, and playing.
Diagnosis: Mitochondrial Complex III Deficiency
The final diagnosis came through Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) — confirming Mitochondrial Complex III Deficiency, a rare inherited condition that hinders cellular energy production.
This diagnosis brought clarity and empowered the care team to craft a personalized long-term management plan, with continued use of the metabolic cocktail to prevent future crises.
A Victory Shared by All
At the time of discharge, the little girl was alert, interactive, feeding independently, and neurologically responsive — a stark contrast from her critical condition on admission.
Dr. Venugopal Reddy, Medical Director of Ovum Group of Hospitals, reflected on the case:
“This was not just a medical rescue. It was a collective act of belief — in our training, in our systems, and most importantly, in the human spirit. The precision, speed, and compassion with which our team operated is a model of pediatric critical care.”
Ovum’s Legacy of Compassionate Care
This story is one of many that unfold each day at Ovum Hospitals. Known for their excellence in neonatology, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, and fertility, the Ovum Woman and Child Speciality Hospital network has earned its place as a leader in family-centered healthcare in Bangalore.
With state-of-the-art facilities and a patient-first philosophy, Ovum combines clinical excellence with emotional intelligence — creating outcomes that don’t just save lives but rebuild them.
The Road Ahead
The child will continue her journey with close monitoring, nutritional support, and genetic counseling — but thanks to early intervention and holistic care, she now has a future filled with possibility.
A child’s heartbeat is a fragile rhythm — easily disturbed, but resilient when nurtured. Ovum’s team didn’t just restore that rhythm — they amplified it, turning panic into possibility, and fear into faith.
Because when medicine meets heart, miracles aren’t rare — they’re real.
