Mumbai, May 1 (UNI) Senior BJP leader Pramod Mahajan has developed an acute respiratory distress, necessiating advanced mechanical ventiation and posing an immediate cause of concern, the Hinduja Hospital said this afternoon.

The medical bulletin said '' Mr Pramod Mahajan continues to be critical and is on multiple organ support in the form of mechnical ventilation, vasopressor therapy and continuous renal replacement therapy (dialysis).'' Reading out the bulletin, Hospital Director (Administration) Dr Anupam Verma said '' He is showing signs of evolving an acute respiratory distress syndorme (ARDS). This is the known and feared complications in patients with extensive multiple trauma, massive blood transfusion and systemic sepsis.'' This, Dr Verma, said '' is a worrying development necessiating advanced mechanical ventilation and posing an immediate cause of concern.'' However, he added '' He is being closely monitored by Dr G B Daver, Dr Farhad Kapadia and team of surgeons and intensivists.'' Mr Mahajan, shot and critically injured, allegedly by his younger brother Praveen on April 22, has undergone three surgeries in ten days. The last on Saturday was done to clean up abdominal cavity for preventing infection and for artificial internal feeding and tracheotomy for proper ventilatory support.

UNI GVS-SA AW1615