Remote consultation and blood filtration save the lives of many children with critical hand, foot and mouth disease

On June 9, Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Van Quang, Head of the Intensive Care Department, Children's Hospital 1 (HCMC), said that the hospital had conducted remote consultations, saving the lives of many children with critical hand, foot and mouth disease.

A typical example is the female patient Nguyen Phuong Ng. (23 months old, residing in Bac Lieu ), hospitalized due to high fever and dizziness. After 2 days of fever not decreasing, her family took her to Bac Lieu Hospital and she was diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease grade 2a. After 2 hours of hospitalization, the patient's condition worsened to grade 3 with frequent dizziness, rapid pulse and high blood pressure. Immediately, the doctors treated her specifically with Immunoglobulin, vasopressors and anticonvulsants. However, the condition did not improve, the child had severe respiratory failure and was intubated and put on a ventilator, with continuous high fever and hemodynamic disorders with rapid pulse (200 beats/minute), low blood pressure threatening the patient's life.

Hội chẩn từ xa, lọc máu cứu sống nhiều trẻ mắc bệnh tay chân miệng nguy kịch - Ảnh 1. — Blood filtration saves the life of a child with hand, foot and mouth disease

Doctors from the Pediatrics Department of Bac Lieu Hospital immediately consulted remotely with Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Van Quang to transfer the patient to a higher level. However, the patient's condition was very serious and the transfer was unsafe, so they consulted remotely, instructed on how to handle the patient, and performed emergency blood filtration techniques for the patient.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Quang, blood filtration is an effective treatment method that helps save the lives of many children with severe hand, foot and mouth disease, but this is a very difficult technique because children with hand, foot and mouth disease are often young, underweight and in serious condition, so it is easy to fail. Bac Lieu Hospital has successfully performed blood filtration to help stabilize vital signs and save the patient's life. After more than 2 weeks of treatment, the patient was discharged from the hospital in good health, without neurological sequelae.

Previously, patient Le Thai A. (28 months old, residing in Bac Lieu) with grade 4 hand, foot and mouth disease and life-threatening acute pulmonary edema was consulted remotely by doctors from the Department of Pediatrics, Bac Lieu Hospital with Associate Professor, Dr. Quang for emergency blood filtration. The patient has overcome the critical stage and is gradually recovering.

Also according to Associate Professor, Dr. Quang, in the past month, provincial hospitals in Bac Lieu, Kien Giang, Can Tho, Tien Giang , Long An... have admitted children with hand, foot and mouth disease in severe, critical condition (level 3, 4).

For hospitals located far away, transferring children with severe hand, foot and mouth disease to a tertiary hospital in Ho Chi Minh City is unsafe, with a high risk of death on the way.

For children with sore throats, rashes, blisters on the palms, soles, buttocks, knees, etc., they should go to a medical facility for diagnosis, especially when the child has signs of being startled.

"We would like to remind parents to pay attention that hand, foot and mouth disease has entered the season, especially with the appearance of the Entero 71 virus (EV71), which is a common cause of severe hand, foot and mouth disease with a high risk of death. Therefore, children with hand, foot and mouth disease need to be diagnosed early, closely monitored and treated promptly," Associate Professor, Dr. Quang recommended.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Quang, severe signs of hand, foot and mouth disease that need attention include high, persistent fever that is difficult to reduce, fever lasting more than 2 days, frequent vomiting, startled play, shaking hands and feet, cold hands and feet, staggering, sweating, lethargy, labored breathing, etc. When these signs appear, the child should be taken to the hospital immediately for timely emergency care.

In Ho Chi Minh City, in week 22 (from May 29 to June 4), 287 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease were recorded, an increase of 133.3% compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks (123 cases). Of which, there was an increase in both inpatient and outpatient hospitalizations. The cumulative number of cases up to week 22 was 1,972 cases.

Ho Chi Minh City has also proposed to the Drug Administration (Ministry of Health) to find a source of medicine to treat hand, foot and mouth disease because serious illness tends to increase with the appearance of the B5 genotype of EV71.

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