Post-COVID complications aplenty, say doctors

As within the first wave of COVID-19, hospitals are seeing a gentle move of sufferers with post-COVID-19 complications. While the variety of sufferers with complications is way greater, contemplating the exponential rise in instances within the second wave, lots of them are returning to hospitals with psychological signs, lung-related complications, and stroke and cardiac arrest as a consequence of blood clots.

The complications are aplenty, in accordance with a variety of doctors at authorities and personal hospitals. While mucormycosis is among the important complications seen by doctors, there are a lot of different worrying traits.

At the post-COVID clinic of the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, doctors are receiving 30-40 sufferers a day, Dean E. Theranirajan mentioned. “There are many with psychological issues. We see patients with insomnia, new onset diabetes, myocardial infarction, stroke, lung fibrosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, brain fog and depression. Some show symptoms of memory loss and poor concentration. There are patients mainly with neuro and cardiac complications.”

There are numerous sufferers with respiration points, complications comparable to clot formations and generalised myalgia for an prolonged interval, mentioned Koushik Muthu Raja, affiliate professor and marketing consultant, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Hospital.

“We are finding pulmonary embolism in patients. Lung damage is persisting in patients who had moderate to severe COVID-19. Some continue to require oxygen support. We start active pulmonary rehabilitation at the hospital itself. This is basically a holistic approach in which a complete evaluation is done and patients are put on a battery of exercises, including those to train muscles and increase the expanding capacity of lungs, nutritional assessment, and relaxation techniques. We are slowly seeing an increase in the number of such patients,” he mentioned.

N. Sridhar, marketing consultant intensivist and head of Critical Care, Kauvery Hospital, Chennai, mentioned the hospital had sufferers returning with sudden ache and breathlessness, and CT scans discovered pneumothorax, assortment of air between the chest wall and lungs. “We are seeing an increased tendency of developing blood clots and stroke in some young patients in the post-COVID period. Some have nerve weakness, and we are seeing an increased number of heart attacks. Patients also experience diarrhoea,” he mentioned. Usually, the complications set in after two to 4 weeks of the onset of sickness.

Patients are being requested to return for periodic opinions for at the least a month, mentioned Aishwarya Vinoth, marketing consultant, interventional pulmonologist, Dr. Rela Institute and Medical Centre. “We take CT scans of patients experiencing breathlessness. In such cases, we have found patients having gross pneumonic changes involving many areas of the lungs. This is taking a longer period to heal,” she famous.

In this wave, many have been oxygen-dependent for lengthy. Such sufferers are given lung workouts and suggested weekly follow-ups.

“Along with physical and mental rehabilitation, post-COVID-19 clinics are running pulmonary rehabilitation,” she mentioned.