The story began in Tasikmalaya with a 59-year-old woman whose legs suddenly gave way beneath her. Within days, weakness crept into her arms, her speech slurred, and her breath grew shallow. Her family rushed her from one hospital to another, until finally, she was referred to Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital in Bandung—where doctors from Universitas Padjadjaran would uncover a rare and life-threatening combination: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), Miller Fisher type, compounded by hospital-acquired pneumonia.

Leading the case was Professor Suwarman, an intensive care expert from Unpad’s Faculty of Medicine. By the time the patient arrived at the ICU, she was already struggling to breathe. GBS, an autoimmune attack on the nerves, had weakened her respiratory muscles. Pneumonia then struck, further blocking her lungs. Without immediate intervention, the odds of survival were slim.

The medical team acted quickly. The patient was intubated, placed on mechanical ventilation, and given a cutting-edge therapy known as Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE), which “filters” harmful antibodies from the blood. After 18 tense days in the ICU, her breathing improved and she was successfully weaned off the ventilator—a hard-won victory for both patient and physicians.

This case highlights the delicate balance required in modern critical care. GBS itself is rare, affecting only one to four people per 100,000 annually, but when paired with pneumonia, the mortality risk can soar above 30%. The Unpad team’s coordinated approach demonstrates how comprehensive management—neurological, infectious, and respiratory—can save lives in the most complex cases.

Beyond a single patient, this story is a reminder of the importance of early hospital infection prevention, rapid diagnosis, and access to advanced therapies in Indonesia’s intensive care units. It also shows how Indonesian clinicians are contributing to global knowledge on rare but deadly neurological disorders. By tackling this challenge head-on, Universitas Padjadjaran is advancing SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, while strengthening Indonesia’s voice in the international medical community.