Jayalalithaa still on heart assist ECMO device

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who was said to be critical on Sunday night after suffering a cardiac arrest at a private hospital, continued to be on Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), a heart-assist device on Monday.

She was put on the machine on Sunday night in view of the heart attack. Doctors continued to closely monitor her situation, hospital sources said. Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital on September 22 for treatment of fever and dehydration, and later treated for infection and respiratory problem.

Doctors are trying their "very best", hospital spokesperson Sangita Reddy said on Monday.
 
Meanwhile, police and CRPF personnel were stationed at various strategic locations in Tamil Nadu. Security had been tightened in front of the hospital and the 68-year-old chief minister's residence in Chennai.

With crowds increasing at the hospital including visits by VIPs and leaders of various political parties, police barricaded entrances and regulated entry of visitors.

State DGP T K Rajendran on Sunday asked all police personnel to remain on duty from today "until further orders". "They should report in full uniform with their vehicles for law and order bandobust duty until further orders," he said.

Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan said all BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were praying for her complete and swift recovery.

Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who is also the Governor of Maharashtra, air-dashed to Chennai from Mumbai and visited Apollo Hospital on Sunday night.

"She is being treated and monitored by a team of experts, including cardiologists, pulmonologists and critical care specialists," said a statement on Dec 4 night by Chief Operating Officer of Apollo Hospitals Dr Subbaiah Viswanathan.

AIADMK Ministers, MPs and MLAs were at the hospital on Monday morning.

President Pranab Mukherjee, DMK president M Karunanidhi, Leader of the Opposition, M K Stalin, several Union Ministers, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several Chief Ministers were among those who wished Jayalalithaa a speedy recovery.