Martin Salia, M.D., passed away early Monday morning despite what UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., described as “truly heroic efforts” on the part of his health care team at Nebraska Medicine-Nebraska Medical Center and UNMC.
Dr. Gold spoke Monday morning at a news conference called to announce Dr. Salia’s death.
Dr. Salia had arrived in Nebraska in very critical condition, said Phil Smith, M.D., medical director of the Biocontainment Unit at Nebraska Medical Center and professor of infectious diseases at UNMC. He added that Dr. Salia had arrived on the 13th day of his diagnosis, while the med center’s other patients had arrived on the sixth and eighth days.
“We gave it everything,” Dr. Smith said.
Dr. Salia was suffering from advanced symptoms of Ebola when he arrived at the hospital Saturday, which included kidney and respiratory failure. He was placed on dialysis, a ventilator and multiple medications to support his organ systems in an effort to help his body fight the disease. He also received a dose of convalescent plasma and ZMapp therapy was initiated on Saturday.
He was the first patient at the med center to receive dialysis and respiratory support, Dr. Smith said.
Dr. Salia died around 4 a.m., Dr. Smith said, with staffing working “around the clock” to try and save him.
“We used every possible treatment available to give Dr. Salia every possible opportunity for survival,” said Dr. Smith. “As we have learned, early treatment with these patients is essential. In Dr. Salia’s case, his disease was already extremely advanced by the time he came here for treatment.”
Rosanna Morris, chief operating officer and chief nursing officer of Nebraska Medicine-Nebraska Medical Center, told reporters it was “an absolute honor to care for Dr. Salia.”
The staff who cared for Dr. Salia is deeply saddened and grieving, she added.
“I want to thank our local heroes who took care of a global hero,” Morris said. “Their work was second to none.”
Dan Johnson, M.D., division chief of critical care, was asked if the team felt “defeated” in the wake of Dr. Salia’s death.
“We don’t feel defeated,” he said, calling his staff courageous. “We are going to analyze this, learn from it and see how we can get better. I am very proud of the care we provided.”
in addition to recognizing the courage this team showed in agreeing to take on such an advanced case, we should also acknowledge the greater risk to the team members themselves in dealing with a patient with such high viral loads. May they all remain healthy and safe.
I am very proud of our local & global heroes too.