Page 17 - Waterfall City MarApr Issue 2026

in KwaZulu-Natal, visiting whenever
possible. All the while Dr Monyake and
the PICU team cared for Kwando as he
remained sedated on ECMO.

“Eventually, after a difficult road, the
day finally came when Kwandokuhle
recovered sufficiently for us to take him
off ECMO, but his lungs were still under
strain because of his heart defect. He
faced a last major hurdle – the time
had come for the surgery to repair his
heart,” Dr Monyake says.
Twins Kwandokuhle and Kwenzokuhle Ndlovu healthy at home and reunited.
in which specialised equipment went well and the next morning he The surgery would correct his
artificially performs the functions was ready for the journey on ECMO,” congenital cardiac lesion patent ductus
of the heart and lungs, giving them Mr Ndlovu recalls of the anxious time. arteriosus (PDA). Without surgery, a
a chance to heal. It was a clear PDA can cause a significant increase in
indication in Kwandokuhle’s case as In Kwandokuhle’s case, he was blood flow to the baby’s lungs, raising
his rapid deterioration and increased put on veno-arterial ECMO life- pulmonary arterial blood pressures,
demand on mechanical ventilatory support to allow his lungs to rest which in Kwandokuhle’s case could
support were possibly causing more and recover, while supporting his result in difficulty weaning him off the
harm to his body; and secondly, heart throughout his ambulance ventilator and a more protracted ICU
ECMO would be required for the safe journey from the local hospital to the course,” Dr Bhika explains.
long-distance transfer of our tiny airport in Pietermaritzburg, then on a
patient,” Dr Bhika says. medical evacuation flight to Lanseria “Fortunately, Kwandokuhle’s PDA
and finally by ambulance to the ligation procedure was successful, and
“ECMO is not viable for every child in receiving team at Netcare Waterfall he returned to the PICU, where under
respiratory distress. Even for clinically City Hospital’s paediatric intensive the constant care of specially trained
appropriate patients who receive this care unit. PICU nurses and Dr Monyake, he was
advanced heart and lung support as weaned off oxygen and began to gain
a last resort, the odds against survival Paediatric intensivist Dr Palesa weight healthily. This timely procedure
remain significant. But for some, like Monyake recalls how desperately likely prevented ICU complications
baby Kwandokuhle, it offers a chance ill Kwandokuhle was when he first and risks of further lung pathology,”
for recovery where there is otherwise arrived at Netcare Waterfall City Dr Bhika says.
very little hope,” she adds. Hospital’s paediatric ICU: “A baby
so young hasn’t had the chance to When the Ndlovu family arrived to see
“A long-distance ECMO retrieval develop a strong immune system, so Kwando the morning after his heart
for such a small patient requires his body was fighting this ravaging operation, they were relieved to see
meticulous planning and co- lung infection on the one hand, while their son’s dramatic improvement.
ordination from many specialised his little heart was also struggling Having spent half his young life
team members. An undertaking of due to the congenital defect. We separated from his twin and parents
this magnitude required the team to were all extremely concerned for him, while on life support, Kwandokuhle
move equipment for the procedure but we were determined to give him was finally well enough to return to
to KwaZulu-Natal, and then transport the best possible chance of survival,” KwaZulu-Natal to a hospital closer to
little Kwandokuhle while on ECMO Dr Monyake says. his family.
to Gauteng,” says Mande Toubkin,
Netcare’s general manager of Around the clock, the dedicated “We are so happy! It is the greatest
emergency, trauma, transplant and ECMO trained PICU nurses and gift to have our twins healthy at home
corporate social investment. doctors did everything they could for and reunited. We celebrated our first
Kwandokuhle, including the power Christmas together as a family at home
“It was so painful for us to see about of prayer. Although his condition on last year. Kwando and Kwenzo play
20 medical professionals around ECMO life support and medication together so beautifully, and we are
our small baby. It took four hours to remained serious, the Ndlovu family recording these memories for the twins
prepare Kwando for ECMO, which had to return home to Kwenzokuhle when they grow up.”

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