365NEWSX
365NEWSX
Subscribe

Welcome

Ontario man's coronavirus infection required double lung transplant | CBC News

Ontario man's coronavirus infection required double lung transplant | CBC News

Ontario man's coronavirus infection required double lung transplant | CBC News
Apr 12, 2021 1 min, 44 secs

But within days he had developed a fever, experienced breathlessness in his sleep, and was rushed to hospital with a deteriorating condition that eventually required a double lung transplant.

Physicians at the University Health Network in Toronto believe Sauvé was the first person in Canada to receive a double lung transplant after contracting COVID-19.

"Things were pretty bleak," Sauvé said of his pre-transplant condition, fighting back tears during a phone interview from the University Health Network's Toronto Rehab Bickle Centre.

A careful assessment at the Ajmera Transplant Centre determined he was physically strong enough to undergo a transplant in February.

Marcelo Cypel, the surgical director at the transplant centre who led the team performing the operation, said Sauvé was on "very high amounts of oxygen" when he met him, and scans of his lungs showed heavy amounts of scar tissue called pulmonary fibrosis.

While he was only on a ventilator for a short amount of time during his transfer to the Toronto hospital from Mississauga, Sauvé did need the advanced lung support therapy called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) — a machine that pumps and oxygenates the blood.

Cypel said Sauvé's lungs had shrunk during his infection, becoming stiff and resistant to air flow.

While the surgery was a success, Cybel said transplants are not expected to become frequently used treatments for severe COVID-19 cases.

Sauvé had also cleared his COVID-19 infection by the time he was assessed for a transplant, which was a main prerequisite before he could undergo surgery.

His entire household, including his common-law partner Julie Garcia, her 24-year-old son and her father, 80-year-old Juanito Teng, all tested positive for COVID-19 around the same time Sauvé became ill.

Sauvé, who had no prior co-morbidities that put him at higher risk for infection or severe disease, said he hopes his story can resonate with anyone who thinks COVID-19 isn't that big a deal.

Recovery time varies for patients after transplants, so Sauvé isn't sure how long he'll need to stay at the rehab centre.

Summarized by 365NEWSX ROBOTS

RECENT NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

Get monthly updates and free resources.

CONNECT WITH US

© Copyright 2024 365NEWSX - All RIGHTS RESERVED