One Night, Three Rescues at Beijing Jingdu Children’s Hospital

At the emergency department of Jingdu Children's Hospital, Director Li Xiaoqiang and his team are always ready to address every emergency case. On the night of July 26, they managed to save three young lives through three rescue operations. For Doctor Li, saving lives is the most fulfilling moment for his career. 

Four-year-old Saved from Atypical Infantile Febrile Convulsion

It was 17:00 on the afternoon of July 26, 2018 at the Emergency Department. Dean Li Xiaoqiang, who was on duty in back office, was called in 

A four-year-old patient came in with body temperature soaring to 39°C. He had suffered lateral tics for over 15 minutes. Doctor Li and Dr. Zhan Hongji quickly arrived at the diagnosis that the patient suffered complex febrile convulsion. 

To prevent conditions from deteriorating, Director Li immediately initiated a rescue plan. Through oxygen therapy and sedation, anti-convulsion and phlegm sucking operations, dozens of minutes of  "fight over life or death" finally worked. The patient's vital signs returned to normal and remained stable. Convulsion stopped. 

According to Doctor Li Xiaoqiang, complex febrile convulsion is mainly caused by severe hand foot and mouth diseases, viral encephalitis, purulent meningitis or other secondary diseases as a result of basic diseases in the nervous system. Its cause can only be identified through cerebro-spinal fluid test, or nervous system imaging and electroencephalogram check. The symptoms must be dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner.  

Three-month-old Infant with Severe Spasmodic Coughs Saved

At 21:00 on the same night, a three-month-old infant suffering whooping cough experienced severe spasmodic cough complicated by convulsions. Doctor Li Xiaoqiang was launched another rescue operation. Considering the patient's conditions, he came to the conclusion that the baby was experiencing a pertusis-induced brain disease and must be given sedation, anti-convulsion and phlegm sucking therapy at once. While providing immunity support by intravenously injecting immunoglobulin, he administered methylprednisolone to help resist inflammation and offered convulsion and cough relief treatment. 

According to Doctor Li, pertusis-induced brain disease is a result of lasting excitement on the part of the coughing center for reason of long-term cough. Other stimulus (such as pharyngeal check, drinking and eating) can also result in reflexive spasmodic cough. If secretions are not cleared, the respiratory tract may be blocked to varying degrees and lead to pulmonary atelectasis, emphysema, bronchiectasis or bronchitis. Moreover, severe long-term cough may also lead to the rupture of pulmonary alveolus and in turn mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema. Spasmodic cough may cause a lack of oxygen, congestion and edema in the brain, hence the pertusis-induced brain disease. The disease may further lead to edema in the face or bleeding in the conjunctival or brain. Therefore, if not handled in a timely manner, the pertusis-induced brain disease may cause great harm to the health and even life of an infant.   　

One-year-old Infant Suffered Febrile Convulsion  Rescued

At 1:50am of July 27, a one-year-old baby was rushed to the Emergency clinic. The baby's face turned purple, lost consciousness, with teeth gritting and four limbs trembling and incontinence observed. Moreover, his heart rate stood at 220-250 times per minute; his respiratory rate at 60 times per minute; and his oxygen saturation fell down to 10%, putting him in a critical condition. Supported by Dr. Zhan Hongji, Doctor Li Xiaoqiang led the treatment. He first offered routine treatment for the patient (including chloral hydrate enema, intravenous injection of diazepam, intramuscular injection of phenobarbitol sodium), but the effect was not obvious, with convulsions not mitigated at all. He then continued and gave the infant mannitol and dexamethasone treatment, but the high fever and convulsion sustained. Doctor Li decided to intravenously inject midazolam into the patient's body. Two hours later, the infant's convulsion finally eased with his face turning ruddy, oxygen saturation reaching 100%, respiratory rate standing at 30 times per minute and heart rate at 160 times per minute. The baby came back to life.