Columnist Ross Gittins recounts his 44-day ICU stay and near-death cardiac surgery experience
Consensus Summary
Ross Gittins, a well-known columnist, recounts his harrowing 44-day ICU stay after a severe heart infection—originating from dental issues—nearly killed him during a European holiday. His symptoms began on a Danube cruise in Budapest, where doctors initially misdiagnosed bronchitis before he deteriorated in Vienna. Despite hospital warnings, Gittins insisted on returning to Australia, where he underwent an 8-hour emergency cardiac surgery involving an ECMO machine and valve replacements. The procedure, with a 30% failure rate, kept him in ICU far longer than average due to five cardiac arrests. His recovery was prolonged by complications like peripheral neuropathy and muscle atrophy, forcing him to rely on leg braces and a medication organizer. Gittins highlights both the medical system’s life-saving efforts and its bureaucratic inefficiencies, from repeated measurements and strict protocols to the impersonal nature of hospital wards. His firsthand account blends humor and frustration, noting the overuse of single-use plastics, the lack of sleep in ICU, and the emotional support from nurses despite understaffing concerns.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Ross Gittins began experiencing uncontrollable shaking in Budapest during a Danube cruise in October
- A cruise doctor initially diagnosed Gittins with bronchitis but he deteriorated and was hospitalized in Vienna
- Gittins insisted on returning to Australia as planned despite hospital advice to stay
- Gittins had an infection originating from his teeth that spread to his heart, causing severe damage
- He underwent an 8-hour cardiac surgery called a 'commando procedure' or 'unidentified flying object' by the surgeon
- The surgery required an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine, acting as an artificial heart and lung
- Gittins spent 44 days in ICU after the operation, with his heart stopping five times
- The ECMO machine costs up to $300,000 each
- Gittins was treated at a major teaching hospital named after a long-forgotten royal with a failed assassination attempt claim
- Gittins developed peripheral neuropathy ('foot drop') and lost 20 kilograms during hospitalization
- He required a tracheostomy during treatment, impairing his ability to speak
- Gittins was hospitalized for two additional nights after tripping at home due to his leg braces
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Gittins mentions a 'Webster-pak' (medication organizer) he now uses, doubling his daily pill count from seven to over 14
- He describes hallucinating three documentaries about his own hospital stay early in treatment
- Gittins notes the hospital's venetian blind was broken and maintenance workers examined it without fixing it
- He specifically praises two male nurses for their care during his ICU stay
- Gittins references a 'deadly fungal outbreak' the hospital avoided, implying a past incident
- He mentions the hospital's name as a 'major teaching hospital named after some long-forgotten royal whose only claim to fame was a failed assassination attempt on a visit to Australia'
- Gittins details the ABC's repeated programming (including Nigella's Variety Concert) and his preference for SBS
- He describes the hospital's shift from sterilizing instruments to single-use plastic disposables (tweezers, syringes, etc.)
- Gittins notes nurses followed strict protocols including asking for full name and date of birth before administering medication
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- No contradictions found between the two sources as they contain identical text
Source Articles
Ross Gittins spent 44 days in ICU and almost died. This is his story
Our economics editor is on the mend. Here he recounts his medical misadventure that began on the other side of the world....
Ross Gittins spent 44 days in ICU and almost died. This is his story
Our economics editor is on the mend. Here he recounts his medical misadventure that began on the other side of the world....