Man survives without a heartbeat for 40 hours, walks out of the hospital on his own after cardiac arrest

A 40-year-old man in China has survived after his heart stopped beating for 40 hours. The case has sparked widespread discussion about modern life-saving medical technology.

Emergency doctor Lu Xiao from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University shared the case online, according to the South China Morning Post. His social media account has 3 million followers.

The man suffered a cardiac arrest. Several electric defibrillations failed to restore his heartbeat. The medical team then used a machine called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

The machine acted as an artificial heart and lung for the patient. It added oxygen to his blood and removed carbon dioxide. This kept him alive while his heart remained stopped.

After 40 hours, the man's heart finally started beating again. He remained on ECMO support for approximately 10 more days. By the 20th day, he had nearly fully recovered.

He walked out of the hospital on his own. He showed no major after-effects such as stroke, kidney failure or depression.

Dr Lu called the outcome a miracle. "Each successful treatment is down to medical developments, staff persistence and luck," SCMP quoted Dr Lu as saying.

What is ECMO?

ECMO is commonly used for patients with heart attacks and organ failure. It is also used during heart and lung transplants.

According to the hospital, ECMO can significantly improve survival rates. Conventional CPR saves roughly 1% of cardiac arrest patients. ECMO can raise that figure to up to 50%.

However, the treatment carries serious risks. Doctor Lu said his team had to constantly manage blood flow. Too little blood flow can cause dangerous clots, SCMP reports.

Too much intervention risks severe bleeding. Striking that balance requires constant monitoring and highly skilled staff.

ECMO treatment does not come cheap. Booting the machine costs around 50,000 yuan (nearly ₹7 lakh). Daily running costs exceed 10,000 yuan ( ₹1.40 lakh).

In China, this expense is generally not covered by social insurance. For most families, it represents an enormous financial burden on top of an already devastating crisis.

ECMO In India: Cost and Availability

The ECMO treatment is available in India, too. However, access and affordability remain serious concerns for most families.

According to Apollo Hospitals, ECMO treatment in India costs between ₹1 lakh and ₹2.5 lakh. This is significantly lower than international rates.

However, several factors can push costs higher. High-end hospitals with advanced technology charge more than smaller facilities.

Metropolitan cities are generally more expensive than smaller towns. Private rooms cost more than general ward admissions. Complications during treatment can significantly add to expenses.

In the North Zone, AIIMS and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi offer the treatment. Medanta and Fortis in Gurgaon are also equipped. Max Hospital in Saket, Fortis in Mohali, and Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Unit Hero-DMC Heart Institute, in Ludhiana, round out the north zone.

The South Zone has the largest network of ECMO centres. Hyderabad alone has five hospitals offering the treatment. Chennai has six centres, including Apollo, Fortis Malar and Kauvery. Bengaluru has three centres, including Narayana Hrudayalay.

In the West Zone, four hospitals in Mumbai offer ECMO. Sunshine Global Hospital in Surat and CIMS Hospital in Ahmedabad also provide it.

The East Zone currently has three centres. Two are in Kolkata, and one is at NH Narayana Superspeciality Hospital in Howrah.

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