At 19, Yasmin Khatun survived a life-threatening medical crisis after a massive intestinal perforation left her in severe septic shock and triggered multiple organ complications. She had been diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis in March 2026 and had been taking antitubercular medication intermittently. The teenager was in profound hypovolaemic and septic shock, with a blood pressure of just 80/60 mmHg when she arrived at Manipal Hospital Dhakuria. She was treated under the expertise of Dr Subhas Kumar Todi, Critical Care and Emergency and Dr Tanmoy Mukherjee, GI & Colorectal Surgery.
She subsequently developed severe abdominal pain and was admitted to another hospital on August 21after suffering intense pain for two days. A CT scan revealed an intestinal perforation. Despite high doses of vasopressors, including noradrenaline and vasopressin, her blood pressure remained critically low. She required reintubation before surgery and was febrile, with altered mental status and severely deranged coagulation parameters, including a PT/INR of 3.2.
With her condition deteriorating rapidly, the surgical team took her to the operating theatre during the night under fresh frozen plasma cover. During surgery, doctors discovered a large perforation in the ileum, and Dr Tanmoy Mukherjee, Senior Consultant, GI & Colorectal Surgery, resected approximately 60-70 cm of the affected intestine and performed a double-barrel ileostomy.
Yasmin remained critically unstable during the operation and required very high doses of vasopressor and inotropic support. Yet, by the following morning, she had improved sufficiently to be extubated and no longer required inotropic support. Her recovery, however, was far from straightforward. Two days later, she developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and had to be reintubated. Subsequently, she developed acute liver failure, with her bilirubin rising to around 30.
Dr Subhas Kumar Todi, said,”Yasmin’s case was extremely critical, with septic shock and multiple organ failure. Her recovery required timely surgery, intensive critical care and close coordination among multiple specialties. Despite severe complications, she responded well to treatment and gradually improved. This case highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in managing critically ill patients.”
Through continued intensive care and conservative management, her condition gradually improved. She was eventually extubated, started on oral feeding and began showing signs of liver recovery as her bilirubin levels steadily declined. Her treatment involved a multidisciplinary team comprising specialists in critical care, nephrology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases and surgery. After an intensive period of treatment, Yasmin was discharged on September 10 with stable liver function. Her antitubercular medication had been restarted and was well tolerated. She was eating normally and was clinically stable, though still slightly weak and undergoing physiotherapy.
Dr Tanmoy Mukherjee, said, “Yasmin’s recovery demonstrated the importance of a coordinated multidisciplinary approach in managing critically ill patients with tuberculosis, intestinal perforation and multi-organ failure. For the 19-year-old, who arrived at the hospital in a state of profound shock, the journey from a life-threatening emergency to returning home marked a remarkable recovery.”
****