Rare pediatric surgery performed on a 7-month old baby at SUM hospital

OST Bureau

Bhuabneswar, Nov 25:

The pediatric surgeons at IMS &SUM hospital Bhubaneswar have operated on a 7month old baby which is first of its kind in the state.

Babli Sethy from Khurda  who was suffering from repeated episodes  of respiratory infections was diagnosed to be suffering from diaphragmatic hernia during examination.

Diaphragm is a muscular membrane between abdomen and chest cavity. When there is a defect in this membrane the intestines protrude into the chest cavity and prevent expansion of the lungs leading to repeated episodes of respiratory infections. Traditionally this defect is closed by making a big incision  on the chest wall which is very painful for the child and leaves behind an ugly scar.

The surgeons at SUM hospital carried out the surgery thoracoscopically by making three small punctures in the chest wall  and inserting video camera through it. This procedure is far less painful and helps in much  faster recovery, resulting in shorter hospital stay as well as better cosmesis.

During the surgery the team  of anesthetists maintained the child on single lung ventilation while collapsing the lung on the side of  surgery , which helped the surgeons carry out the surgery easily.

This type of administration of anesthesia on pediatric patients is again first of  its kind in the state.

The child, Babli, recovered fast and was discharged from the hospital within 5days of surgery.

The team of surgeons comprised Dr Akash Pati, Dr BB Tripathy, Dr S K Sahoo  and Dr R K Bal. Dr S Mohanty while Dr J Mishra and Dr D Padhiary were the anaesthetists for Babli’s case.