'It was so overwhelming and unbelievable': 18-year-old spends over 2 months on life support after infection in knee

'It was so overwhelming and unbelievable': 18-year-old spends over 2 months on life support after infection in knee
Doctors had told Mr Dante Lin's mother that he was on the verge of cardiovascular collapse and death.
PHOTO: The Straits Times

His knee pain suddenly became worse and he began to experience chest pain. Mr Dante Lin's oxygen levels were low and his heart was weak, and the 18-year-old was not responding to any treatment.

Doctors at the National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) told his mother, Mrs Amy Lin, 41, that he was on the verge of cardiovascular collapse and death.

But they offered a lifeline – to put him on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (Ecmo) life support.

It was the first time Mrs Lin had heard of such a treatment, and even though she did not fully understand what it was then, she agreed.

That saved her son's life.

Ecmo is a life-saving machine that takes over the function of the heart and lungs. It is a highly specialised and complex form of life support and is used on the most critically ill patients when no other treatment works.

It is also very resource-intensive and requires an experienced team of medical experts, including specially trained nurses, perfusionists, cardiac surgeons and intensive care unit physicians.

For 62 days, Mr Lin was hooked onto the Ecmo machine. It helped to supply oxygen to and remove carbon dioxide from his blood. At times, it took over the function of his heart.

After spending a total of 98 days at the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU) in NUHCS, Mr Lin was discharged on Sept 26 to tears and applause from the medical team.

Read Also
'I was on a life-support machine for 29 days', says 59-year-old Covid-19 survivor
singapore
'I was on a life-support machine for 29 days', says 59-year-old Covid-19 survivor

Doctors subsequently found out that the knee pain, which began after the family returned from Malaysia in mid-June, was triggered by bacteria – a staphylococcus aureus (also known as "golden staph") infection.

The bacteria entered Mr Lin's bloodstream and quickly spread to his lungs.

He developed septic shock at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where he was first admitted to. When he became unresponsive to treatment, the Ecmo team at the National University Hospital (NUH) was called in, and he was subsequently transferred there.

Septic shock is a life-threatening condition when the blood pressure falls to dangerously low levels during an infection. 

NUH treats about 40 to 50 patients on Ecmo a year now. Mr Lin was on Ecmo for longer than most patients, as the average time is about one to two weeks.

Associate Professor Graeme MacLaren, the director of the CTICU in NUHCS who oversaw the care of Mr Lin, said on Friday (Oct 28): "It was highly likely that Mr Lin would have died that same night had he not been stabilised with Ecmo. It is essentially a heroic form of life support, used only for the sickest patients for whom no other treatment has worked.

"Ecmo's use is increasing worldwide, in part because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but also because clinicians are becoming more skilled at using it."

Mr Dante Lin with his mother and Associate Professor Graeme MacLaren.
PHOTO: The Straits Times

Mr Lin is the first NUH patient whose septic shock was so severe that it required Ecmo. The use of Ecmo in septic shock cases is extremely rare, even in the world's busiest Ecmo centres, Prof MacLaren added.

For 98 days, Mrs Lin visited her son daily. The mother of four children took time off her work as a retail training and customer service manager to be with him.

Mrs Lin left the other three children, aged 17, 11 and five, in the care of her in-laws. Mr Lin is her oldest child.

"The whole medical team gave me a lot of hope, despite being very honest about my son's condition," she said. "There were times when my son's condition got better and at times, it worsened."

She added: "I also had a great support system from my family and relatives, as well as my husband, who took every opportunity to visit Dante when he was off work. I am just very glad that he is here with us."

Mr Dante Lin and his mother with medical staff who took care of him during his stay in hospital. 
PHOTO: The Straits Times

The bill came to a staggering $490,000, Mrs Lin revealed, but they did not have to fork out a single cent from their pocket. Various government subsidies, insurance and MediSave helped them pay the bill.

After spending some three months intubated and in bed, Mr Lin lost about 12kg, and is currently working with a rehabilitation team comprising nutritionists and physiotherapists to regain muscle and lost strength.

So far, his recovery has been good. He is able to walk normally, but is still unable to run or jump.

He said: "It felt like I went to sleep and woke up the next day, only to realise that two months had passed. When my parents and doctors told me that I was in such a severe condition and almost died, I got a shock.

"It was so overwhelming and unbelievable."

On Friday, Prof MacLaren also launched the latest edition of a book on Ecmo, titled Extracorporeal Life Support: The ELSO Red Book, which is the definitive reference text on Ecmo.

Prof MacLaren is the editor-in-chief of the book, which was jointly written by over 200 leading expert clinicians worldwide.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.

homepage

trending

trending
    'It's our grandfather's company, we won't sell', says Wong family as shareholders reject GE delisting bid
    Singaporean man found following 15-hour disappearance, 2 days after wedding in Malaysia
    Jurong West homeowner evicts tenant after power bank catches fire and damages flat
    High energy, strong vocals: J-pop boy band Be:First makes explosive debut in Singapore
    No joke: Woman makes out with Xiao Zhan's standee in Malaysia shopping mall
    SIA flight from Brisbane to Singapore 'experiences technical issue', diverted to Perth
    Shane Pow reveals how much his Star Awards outfit from Taobao costs
    Lurid tale of China's cross-dressing 'red uncle' goes viral online
    McDonald's launching Chilli Crab Sauce Burger in collab with Jumbo Seafood, also releasing limited-edition Lunch Bag
    Christopher Lee and Mark Lee to star in new Taiwanese movie No Good! Ojisan
    MPs lead Singaporeans on sold-out durian trips across Causeway: 'Maximise the favourable exchange rate'
    'I spend whole day teaching him': Differently abled son learns to cook char kway teow as hawker parents battle serious health issues

Singapore

Singapore
    • NDP celebrations headed to heartlands on Aug 10 with mobile column, fireworks and festivities
    • 'No room for complacency': Chan Chun Sing says public service must continue to innovate in face of rising expectations
    • NDP 2025: Leopard tank which hit traffic light had faulty component
    • Body left at hospital linked to JB petrol station shooting
    • Appeal hearing for Pritam Singh's conviction, sentence set for Nov 4
    • Singapore must take right approach to create opportunities in wealth management: Chee Hong Tat
    • Female primary school teacher allegedly committed sex acts with underage male student
    • Police officer injured after motorcycle skids on PIE
    • Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng set for another pre-trial conference on July 23
    • Reform Party to leave opposition group People’s Alliance for Reform; 2 parties remain

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • Ayumi Hamasaki turns first solo Singapore concert into full-blown musical spectacle
    • Roblox avatar and lantern: Star Awards 2025 looks that made us go 'huh?'
    • E-Junkies: Jeremy Chan, James Seah, Zhu Zeliang on realistic 'underground city' film set in Mediacorp's first dystopian-crime drama
    • Cast of K-drama Low Life recounts battling peak summer conditions while filming 1970s underwater chase for treasure
    • 'I could not possibly discard the embryo': Lee Si-young pregnant with second child through IVF months after divorce
    • Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers split after 6 years of marriage
    • Jon M. Chu to direct live-action Hot Wheels movie
    • Tears, laughter and reunions: 5 highlights from Star Awards 2025
    • Henry Cavill refused to give David Corenswet advice about playing Superman
    • Shakira donates portion of show proceeds to help victims of deadly Texas floods

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • Singapore Food Festival returns in September, includes SG60 Specials series
    • From Singlish-themed cups to T-shirts repping our neighbourhoods: Here are some SG60 collections to look out for
    • 'It brings out a certain inner child in them': Parkour instructor works exclusively with the elderly to help them keep fit
    • From blogger to Singapore's top influencer: Naomi Neo celebrates 1m Instagram followers after 14 years
    • Cat A COE prices cross $100k mark again in first bidding exercise for July 2025
    • Now you can get Springleaf prata in a cup - with curry - from a vending machine
    • Sleeping on the job: This company will pay people $7 per hour to nap
    • Chanel shows haute couture in private salon setting at Grand Palais
    • Is it possible to design an entire home in 10 hours? I took up the challenge in one mall
    • Where to get cheap haircuts in Singapore (2025 update): Kcuts, Snip Avenue, Kimage Hairdressing School and more

Digicult

Digicult
    • Slim, sleek, but slightly too short-lived: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review
    • World's best Dota 2 teams to compete for $1m prize pool in Singapore in November
    • 'Report 1 shop, another 10 appear': Hoyo Fest artists on copyright struggles
    • NTU penalises 3 students over use of AI tools; they dispute university's findings
    • Australia social media teen ban software trial organisers say the tech works
    • Disney, Universal sue image creator Midjourney for copyright infringement
    • Initiative by IMDA, AI Verify Foundation tests AI accuracy, trustworthiness in real-world scenarios
    • Under siege? Helldivers 2's latest city to be invaded by aliens could be spoof of Singapore
    • Honor 400 Series launches in Singapore with first free in-device AI image-to-video tool
    • Home Team humanoid robots to be deployed by mid-2027, $100m to be invested: Josephine Teo

Money

Money
    • Best credit card promotions in Singapore (June 2025): Citibank, DBS, HSBC, UOB and more
    • Japan, South Korea hit with 25% tariffs as Trump ramps up trade war in letters to leaders
    • Trump says alignment with BRICS' 'anti-American policies' to invite additional 10% tariffs
    • Regulators warned Air India Express about delay on Airbus engine fix, forging records
    • Higher seller's stamp duty a 'light touch' to curb property flipping: Experts
    • Trump tax bill averts one debt crisis but makes future financial woes worse
    • Seller's stamp duty rates for private homes raised; holding period increased from 3 years to 4
    • Trump escalates feud with Musk, threatens Tesla, SpaceX support
    • Online groceries in Singapore: Which supermarket has the cheapest delivery fees?
    • Laundry services in Singapore: Price comparison of 8 affordable laundromats (2025)

Latest

Latest
  • 'Ghost camp': Israeli operations in West Bank push wave of Palestinians from their homes
  • Thailand parliament starts debates on sensitive political amnesty bills
  • Marseille airport closed as firefighters continue to battle wildfire
  • 'They were so caring': Woman praises AirAsia staff's response during toddler's in-flight medical emergency
  • Malaysia calls for stronger inter-Asean trade amid tariffs uncertainty
  • Flash flooding in New Mexico resort town traps dozens in homes and vehicles
  • Taiwan launches annual war games with simulated attacks against military command
  • From 'fantastic' to 'spoiled': How Japan's trade effort to woo Trump backfired
  • South Korea returns 6 North Koreans stranded at sea this year

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • Boy, 9, has kidney removed after falling at Bukit Batok playground
  • 'We just want our money': Income Insurance shareholders disappointed at failed Allianz deal
  • Buying property in Malaysia as a Singaporean: 6 key restrictions to be aware of
  • 'I thought it was just firecrackers', says eyewitness after man fatally shot multiple times inside vehicle in Malaysia
  • Malaysian dad in tears after 11 children pool together to buy him new SUV
  • Not nominated for Star Awards' Best Audio Personality but Dennis Chew says The Breakfast Quartet 'should be confident of ourselves'
  • Cyclist hit by bullet slug in nature reserve may have tried to cover his tracks from authorities
  • 'I just wanted a piece of nostalgia': Hundreds turn up at adoption drive to collect remaining Yale-NUS books
  • 'Does your gun have bullets?' Malaysian man tries to touch auxiliary officer's weapon at Woodlands Checkpoint, gets jail
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.