Panic has struck COVID-19 patients as reports of Intestinal gangrene have emerged after black fungus and white fungus had ailed several hundreds of COVID-19 recovered patients. Reportedly Mumbai is the current epicenter of patients suffering from intestinal gangrene. While daily COVID-19 cases have receded quite a lot, intestinal clots and gangrene can turn fatal in patients.
Background
Daily new cases of COVID-19 has been on a constant decline. On Thursday, May 3, India reported 1,32,424 new cases, less than 1,640 cases reported on Wednesday. The national capital reported only 487 new cases on May 3. But an alarming figure comes in the form of Black Fungus cases. As many as 1,044 Black Fungus cases have been registered in Delhi and a total of 89 people have succumbed to the fungal infection. Amid all these ailments, intestinal gangrene cases are being reported in Mumbai and Gujarat.
Also Read: ICMR: Over 56% of COVID-19 Patients with Secondary Infection like Black Fungus Die
Details
Mumbai has become an epicenter of another post-COVID-19 fatal disease. While cases of black fungus and white fungus are being identified and treated, now COVID-19 patients with cases of intestinal clots are taking to the hospital, raising concerns among the doctors and COVID-19 survivor community.
16-30% of Patients Exabit Gastrointestinal issues, 100 Intestinal Gangrene cases from Gujarat
According to a news report by Times of India, over a dozen cases have been treated in the past few days in Mumbai. This has led to the doctors issuing a warning to patients that if they suffer from unexpected and severe stomach pain, they should seek medical attention. Reportedly, 16-30% of COVID patients exabit new gastrointestinal symptoms such as stomach pain, severe bloating & diarrhea. More importantly, these patients show little to no respiratory illness symptoms. Over 100 cases have been reported from Rajkot, Gujarat.
Further, medical experts are of the opinion that patients with these intestinal clots can display ‘acute mesenteric ischemia’. Acute mesenteric ischemia or AMI is a rare syndrome that is caused due to inadequate blood flow through the mesenteric vessels which results to gangrene of the bowel wall. The syndrome as mentioned earlier is relatively rare, but is life-threatening.
Also Read: After Black Fungus, White Fungus cases reported; Experts claim White Fungus more dangerous
What are the doctors saying?
Fortis Hospital consultant Dr. Hemant Patil who is a gastrointestinal and laparoscopic surgeon, said that he diagnosed as many as 5 new cases of intestinal gangrene where 1 patient succumbed to the condition and died while 2 required immediate surgeries. According to Dr. Patil, since the onset of the second wave of the COVID-19, a visible increase in cases of intestinal gangrene among COVID-19 patients is observed. He also said that the COVID-19 Task Force of the state is expected to provide more information on the issue because the issue is also being observed among vaccinated people.
Dr. Aniruddha said how it was his 10th case in the past 8-9 months where COVID-19 induced intestinal clot appeared. He also said that even after being completely vaccinated, Mr. Sunil tested positive for COVID-19. According to Dr. Aniruddha, when the gangrene is not dealt with in the first 24 hours, the fatality chances increase up to 50%.
Dr. Jiten Chowdhry, a laparoscopic surgeon from Mumbai also said how he has treated 2 patients, both in their 50s. Times of India quoted Dr. Jiten saying-
“One of them had a history of COVID-19 and the other person tested positive after he came to us with intestinal clot. There is emerging evidence that some COVID-19 patients can purely present with gastrointestinal signs.”
Fully vaccinated patient complains of abdominal pain, Doctor dissolves clot
One such patient is Sunil Gavali. Mr. Sunil, a 58-year-old patient is currently treated at the Holy Family Hospital, Andheri. He was rushed to the emergency ward after he complained of severe abdominal pain. A concerning fact of the situation is that Mr. Sunil was fully vaccinated and had received both the doses of Covishield. Fortunately, Dr. Aniruddha Bhuiyan was able to dissolve the clot which avoided the eventual surgery.
