sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
A man's life hangs by a thread after suffering from a fever for 10 days and developing a "fatal" infection.
2025-12-29 17:48
(Correspondent: Ma Yaoyao) A middle-aged man went to the hospital after experiencing a fever for 10 days. Unexpectedly, his condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to septicemia, mediastinal emphysema, and multiple organ failure. He was diagnosed with severe mediastinal infection. With his life hanging by a thread, the multidisciplinary team at Wuhan Central Hospital's Yangchunhu branch collaborated urgently, performing emergency surgery to remove the infected lesions. The patient ultimately recovered and, after careful post-operative treatment, will be discharged soon.
Fever lasting 10 days leads to a "fatal" infection
Mr. Zhao (pseudonym), 45 years old, lives in Hongshan District. He sought medical treatment at the Yangchunhu branch of Wuhan Central Hospital more than a month ago after experiencing a fever for 10 days. According to Mr. Zhao, he developed a fever without any obvious cause 10 days prior, with a maximum temperature reaching 39°C, accompanied by symptoms such as sore throat, neck pain, and chest pain. Initially, he thought it was just a common cold and bought relevant medications from a pharmacy. He also received intravenous treatment at a nearby community hospital for two days. Although his sore throat and neck pain lessened somewhat, his temperature continued to rise.
Upon admission, Mr. Zhao's temperature was 36.4℃, but his heart rate was as high as 127 beats per minute, and he was breathing rapidly. Blood tests indicated a severe infection. More worryingly, Mr. Zhao also suffered from shock, respiratory failure, coagulation dysfunction, electrolyte imbalance, myocardial ischemia, and other multi-system damage.
Multidisciplinary consultation to develop precise treatment plans
After Mr. Zhao was admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine for inpatient treatment, the medical team immediately completed relevant examinations and found that the inflammatory markers continued to rise. The lung CT scan showed extensive mediastinal emphysema and empyema.
Due to Mr. Zhao's rapidly deteriorating and critical condition, with oxygenation proving difficult to maintain, the hospital immediately activated its multidisciplinary consultation mechanism. Experts from departments including Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Medicine, Thoracic Surgery, Otolaryngology, and Radiology quickly assembled to jointly assess the patient's condition. The experts unanimously agreed that the patient had a severe mediastinal infection and had developed sepsis, requiring immediate surgical intervention to prevent potential life-threatening complications.
Emergency surgery removed the infected lesions; meticulous treatment brought the patient back from the brink of death.
After obtaining consent from the patient's family and completing the necessary preparations, the hospital performed emergency surgery on Mr. Zhao. The surgery was performed by the thoracic surgery team, and under general anesthesia, a thoracoscopic empyema evacuation and mediastinal abscess incision and drainage were carried out.
During the operation, doctors discovered a large amount of dark yellow purulent fluid accumulated in Mr. Zhao's bilateral pleural cavities, indicating a severe mediastinal infection. The surgical team carefully removed the purulent tissue and performed a mediastinal incision and drainage. The surgery proceeded smoothly. Postoperative pathological examination confirmed empyema.
After the surgery, Mr. Zhao was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for further treatment. Due to the severity of the infection, he developed serious complications such as sepsis, shock, and multiple organ dysfunction. The ICU team immediately provided comprehensive treatment including prone ventilation, anti-infection therapy, nutritional support, and anticoagulation, and actively carried out early critical care rehabilitation exercises.
With meticulous treatment and care from a multidisciplinary team, Mr. Zhao's condition gradually improved. The infection was effectively controlled, inflammatory markers decreased significantly, and the functions of various organs gradually recovered.
Mr. Zhao has been transferred to the general ward of the Department of Thoracic Surgery for continued treatment. His condition is stable, the drainage tube has been removed, he is able to eat on his own, and all vital signs are stable. He will soon be discharged from the hospital.
zhttps://hb.sina.com.cn/news/jkkp/2025-12-29/detail-inheniaf7874618.shtml?cre=tianyi&mod=pcpager_news&loc=19&r=0&rfunc=51&tj=cxvertical_pc_pager_news&tr=174
2025-12-29 17:48
(Correspondent: Ma Yaoyao) A middle-aged man went to the hospital after experiencing a fever for 10 days. Unexpectedly, his condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to septicemia, mediastinal emphysema, and multiple organ failure. He was diagnosed with severe mediastinal infection. With his life hanging by a thread, the multidisciplinary team at Wuhan Central Hospital's Yangchunhu branch collaborated urgently, performing emergency surgery to remove the infected lesions. The patient ultimately recovered and, after careful post-operative treatment, will be discharged soon.
Fever lasting 10 days leads to a "fatal" infection
Mr. Zhao (pseudonym), 45 years old, lives in Hongshan District. He sought medical treatment at the Yangchunhu branch of Wuhan Central Hospital more than a month ago after experiencing a fever for 10 days. According to Mr. Zhao, he developed a fever without any obvious cause 10 days prior, with a maximum temperature reaching 39°C, accompanied by symptoms such as sore throat, neck pain, and chest pain. Initially, he thought it was just a common cold and bought relevant medications from a pharmacy. He also received intravenous treatment at a nearby community hospital for two days. Although his sore throat and neck pain lessened somewhat, his temperature continued to rise.
Upon admission, Mr. Zhao's temperature was 36.4℃, but his heart rate was as high as 127 beats per minute, and he was breathing rapidly. Blood tests indicated a severe infection. More worryingly, Mr. Zhao also suffered from shock, respiratory failure, coagulation dysfunction, electrolyte imbalance, myocardial ischemia, and other multi-system damage.
Multidisciplinary consultation to develop precise treatment plans
After Mr. Zhao was admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine for inpatient treatment, the medical team immediately completed relevant examinations and found that the inflammatory markers continued to rise. The lung CT scan showed extensive mediastinal emphysema and empyema.
Due to Mr. Zhao's rapidly deteriorating and critical condition, with oxygenation proving difficult to maintain, the hospital immediately activated its multidisciplinary consultation mechanism. Experts from departments including Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Medicine, Thoracic Surgery, Otolaryngology, and Radiology quickly assembled to jointly assess the patient's condition. The experts unanimously agreed that the patient had a severe mediastinal infection and had developed sepsis, requiring immediate surgical intervention to prevent potential life-threatening complications.
Emergency surgery removed the infected lesions; meticulous treatment brought the patient back from the brink of death.
After obtaining consent from the patient's family and completing the necessary preparations, the hospital performed emergency surgery on Mr. Zhao. The surgery was performed by the thoracic surgery team, and under general anesthesia, a thoracoscopic empyema evacuation and mediastinal abscess incision and drainage were carried out.
During the operation, doctors discovered a large amount of dark yellow purulent fluid accumulated in Mr. Zhao's bilateral pleural cavities, indicating a severe mediastinal infection. The surgical team carefully removed the purulent tissue and performed a mediastinal incision and drainage. The surgery proceeded smoothly. Postoperative pathological examination confirmed empyema.
After the surgery, Mr. Zhao was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for further treatment. Due to the severity of the infection, he developed serious complications such as sepsis, shock, and multiple organ dysfunction. The ICU team immediately provided comprehensive treatment including prone ventilation, anti-infection therapy, nutritional support, and anticoagulation, and actively carried out early critical care rehabilitation exercises.
With meticulous treatment and care from a multidisciplinary team, Mr. Zhao's condition gradually improved. The infection was effectively controlled, inflammatory markers decreased significantly, and the functions of various organs gradually recovered.
Mr. Zhao has been transferred to the general ward of the Department of Thoracic Surgery for continued treatment. His condition is stable, the drainage tube has been removed, he is able to eat on his own, and all vital signs are stable. He will soon be discharged from the hospital.
zhttps://hb.sina.com.cn/news/jkkp/2025-12-29/detail-inheniaf7874618.shtml?cre=tianyi&mod=pcpager_news&loc=19&r=0&rfunc=51&tj=cxvertical_pc_pager_news&tr=174