Convalescent Plasma Therapy Saves Coronavirus Patient in Kerala

A 51-year-old man, who was battling for life after being infected by coronavirus has recovered after undergoing convalescent plasma therapy at a government hospital in Thrissur, in a first such instance in Kerala using the experimental medical technique.

The beneficiary, who had been on ventilator for almost a week was taken off the support after a team of doctors

administered the plasma of a person cured of the disease.

The man is now recuperating in the ICU, doctors said.

The therapy involves separation of anti bodies from a person cured of coronavirus and its subsequent infusion into

the COVID-19 patient in a critical condition.

Performed as a medical emergency, the technique was used at the Government Medical College (GMC) in Thrissur. The benefactor was a Delhi-returned Malayali.

He tested positive for COVID-19 on June 6 and faced acute respiratory complications five days later, warranting the use of a ventilator.

On June 11 night, the patient underwent the convalescent plasma collection therapy that lasted till day break. "The procedure requires volunteers who have recovered from COVID-19 and are above the age of 18.

They can donate plasma, the yellowish liquid component of the blood, between the first and fourth months after cure," said M A Andrews, Principal of GMC in a statement issued by National Health Mission's Arogya Keralam.

The therapy has proven its potential and given the COVID-19 patient a fresh lease of life, the doctor said.

Convalescent plasma therapy relies on an apparatus called apheresis that separates the plasma from the donor's blood.

Unlike the usual blood donation, the remainder here returns to the donor's circulation.

"In one go, we take 400 grams of plasma. And transfuse it into the COVID-19 patient in two phases of 200 grams each," Andrews said.

"The therapy has absolutely no side effects," he added.