Surgery saves newborn baby, Surgery saves newborn baby
Premature baby girl had a twisted intestine with other complications, which are difficult to survive
In a unique case, a premature baby with a severely twisted intestine involving malrotation midgut volvulus was not only delivered safely, but also operated upon on the very first day, at the city’s Columbia Asia Hospital three weeks ago. The case took place in the first week of April and doctors have claimed that babies with such complications have a high risk of mortality and usually fail to survive.
Furnishing details about the case, Dr. Pranav Jadhav, paediatric surgeon at Columbia Asia, said, “The mother had come to us in her seventh month where we picked up the abnormality through an ultra-sonography and suggested immediate surgery of the baby once delivered. However, we had to wait for the baby to reach lung maturity so that further complications after birth could be avoided. In her eighth month, the patient underwent a C-section consciously and a baby girl was delivered, who we immediately operated upon.”
“The complications and condition are very rarely spotted in babies. It was a life-and-death situation, where surgery was the only option. Has she been left untreated or undetected, the baby would have developed sepsis, septicemia and perhaps not have survived. There are not many cases like these reported and a premature baby with such complications it especially rare. Even more unique is that the surgery was carried out right after birth,” he added.
Dr. Tushar Parikh, consultant neonatologist, Columbia Asia, said, “After the child was born, the surgery was extremely challenging, given the age of the baby and the delicate organs. However, timely intervention not only saved the child, but also further morbidities like perforation and gangrene of the intestine.”
Dr. B S Ratta, a paediatric surgeon, said, “Such cases are extremely rare; they are sometimes spotted in babies from rural areas. Such surgeries need a special technique as, given the age of the babies, it is very difficult to operate and correct the entire intestine and system. Malrotation cases do come in, but midgut volvulus with a twisted intestine are rarely picked up. Such babies usually die if not treated on time.”
Dr. Prashant Udawant, head of neonatology, Ruby Hall Clinic, said, “There are babies who survive for nine months inside the womb as they are not eating and also the intestines are resting till they are exposed to food. But, surgery still remains the only solution even though parents sometimes need to be convinced.”
credit: Pune Mirror
