HYDERABAD: Doctors of the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology in the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Science have successfully restored the food pipes on a 3-year-old girl and an 18-month old boy who were suffering from a rare birth defect called Esophageal Atresia in which the food pipe is absent, making it impossible for them to swallow food.
The kids were surviving with the help of a feeding tube.After thorough evaluation of both the babies brought to the NIMS, doctors restored the unformed food pipe with colonic interposition surgery, the expenses being borne by the Chief Minister Relief Fund.
“A part of the intestine was brought from the abdomen to the neck via chest as a substitute. The surgery demands a huge technical expertise and acumen leaving a margin of error to almost nil,” said Dr N Bh-eerappa, Prof. and HoD, Surgical Gastroenterology in NIMS.
He said that performing such complex surgery in these types of patients have not been reported in India till now. Only a few centres in the world performed and reported the colonic interposition for esophageal atresia, the Professor said.
Esophageal Atresia is a rare abnormality found in 2 per 1000 babies. In most such cases, there is an abnormal connection between the food pipe and the windpipe which leads to additional breathing problems.
These babies are usually present with one or multiple constellations of other organ defects usually denoted by acronym VACTREL (Vertebral defects, Anal atresia, Cardiac defects, Tracheo-esophageal fistula, Renal anomalies, and Limb deformities).
“We could offer this prototype solution due to the vast experience gained from performing more than 600 colonic interposition surgeries for adults,” said Dr Bheerappa.