Kerala Doctor Saves Sick Woman Using Smartwatch On Delhi-San Francisco Flight

A Kerala doctor saved a passenger experiencing a medical emergency onboard an Air India flight going from Delhi to San Francisco with the help of an Apple watch. The incident took place on July 2 after a 56-year-old woman fell ill mid-flight, feeling dizzy and throwing up.

Dr Gigy V Kuruttukulam, medical director at Kerala’s Rajagiri Hospital, immediately came to the woman’s rescue and examined her, an NDTV report said. With no medical equipment on his person at the time, Dr Kuruttukulam asked the woman to lie down and used the Apple smartwatch she was wearing to monitor her heartbeat and oxygen saturation.

He conducted an electrocardiogram test with the help of the watch and found out that the woman’s oxygen saturation was low and her blood pressure was elevated. He administered the necessary injections available in the flight’s medical kit.

The swift response by Dr Kuruttukulam, who was the only doctor on board, also averted a probable flight delay. Seeing the woman’s condition, the captain considered diverting the flight to the nearest airport, but Dr Kuruttukulam assured him that the woman was stable and could make the journey, reducing the arrival time to San Francisco by 15 minutes.

Upon arriving at the San Francisco airport, the woman was transported to the hospital by a medical team. She was admitted to an ICU where she is recovering, said the hospital staff.