Jayalalithaa is on ECMO and other life support systems: Apollo Hospitals

Chennai: A team of doctors from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) are rush to Chennai to take care of critically ill Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. She suffered a cardiac arrest and is being presently treated by a team of specialists at Apollo Hospitals where she has been admitted since late September. Presently she is on Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. ECMO is an extracorporeal technique of providing both cardiac and respiratory support to persons whose heart and lungs are unable to provide an adequate amount of gas exchange to sustain life. Image courtesy: Wikipedia Since Sunday evening, when the news came of her cardiac arrest, crowds thronged the hospital while top leaders and common people across India prayed for her well-being and recovery. "Our doctors are closely monitoring Hon'ble CM's condition and they are trying their very best," tweeted Apollo Hospitals Joint Managing Director Sangita Reddy on Monday.  

Our doctors are closely monitoring Hon'ble CM's condition and they are trying their very best. #GodblessAmma @HospitalsApollo

— Sangita Reddy (@SangitaApollo) December 4, 2016

Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao, who has additional charge of the state, returned from Mumbai and visited the hospital to enquire about Jayalalithaa's condition on Sunday night. However he has not issued any statement after his hospital visit.

Apollo Hospital releases health bulletin on condition of Chief Minister of #TamilNadu #JJayalalithaa pic.twitter.com/vhHOslRixr

— Doordarshan News (@DDNewsLive) December 5, 2016 Courtesy: Doordarshan

In an another tweet, the hospital said: "The Hon'ble CM is the beloved leader of the masses. Please join us in praying for her speedy recovery. #GodblessAmma #Jayalalithaa." "The Apollo TN CM #Jayalalita is critical.multi speciality team @hospitalsapollo trying everything including ecmo.praying for her recovery," tweeted Sangita Reddy earlier. While a large police contingent was deployed at the hospital, reports said that security was being stepped up across the state. State ministers, senior officials and others gathered at the hospital, as did a huge crowd of AIADMK cadre, many of whom broke down while others fervently prayed for her recovery. Some tried to enter the hospital premises but were restrained. Since Sept 22 Jayalalithaa is hospitalised: The 68-year-old Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital for treatment of fever and dehydration on September 22. The doctors later said she needed a longer hospital stay as she was suffering from infection, and put her on respiratory support.