Another two confirmed novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) patients were cured and discharged from Haihe Hospital in Tianjin on February 22, bringing the total number of cured cases in the city to 64. One of them, a 91-year-old man who is the oldest confirmed patient in Tianjin so far, was successfully discharged after 28 days of treatment.

The old man had a fever on January 26, went to the fever clinic of Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital and was confirmed as the 21st case in Tianjin, in severe condition, by the expert panel.

According to Jiao Zhanquan, deputy director of the Cardiology Department of Haihe Hospital, the treatment of this patient was rather challenging. Many of his organ functions were reduced, there was the complication of coronary heart disease, and old myocardial infarction was found when he was admitted to the hospital. In addition, symptoms such as atrial fibrillation (AFib), irregular heart rate, premature atrial contraction (PAC), electrolyte disturbance, hypoproteinemia and ketone body occurred repeatedly during hospitalization. But through emergency consultation by the expert panel, the patient was taken out of danger and met the standard of being discharged.

Treatment details

At the beginning, the patient was critically infected, with a relatively high respiratory index (RI), oxygenation index below 300, and relatively fast respiratory rate. Later, his severe condition was recategorized as critical. 

Aside from antiviral and symptomatic treatments, doctors paid more attention to the damage done by the virus to other organs of the elderly patient. They applied medicine more carefully, consulted the patient two to three times a day and adjusted his treatment according to laboratory tests, vital signs, etc. The treatment was continuously adjusted through 4-6 stages every day. This was different from the daily rounds of other patients. Thus, it can be seen that the refinement of diagnosis and treatment was also key to the curing of the patient.

The 91-year-old patient needed the help of doctors and nurses, from eating and drinking to going to the toilet, due to poor self-care ability and the fact that his hearing and eyesight were not very good. Therefore, doctors and nurses had to be especially patient in their communication with him. 

After learning that he could be discharged from hospital, the old man was very relaxed in his tone. “I’d like to deeply thank the doctors and nurses, who took care of me better than my family could. Without them, I might not have been able to live.”

Jiao said: “At present, patients in our hospital are relatively stable. The successful treatment of this 91-year-old patient has strengthened the confidence of us doctors and nurses, and that of other patients as well, in overcoming the disease. As doctors and nurses keep accumulating experience and as patients continue to be cured, the cure rate of NCP in Tianjin will greatly increase. We are confident that we will win the battle against the epidemic."