KOCHI: Doctors at Sunrise Hospital, Kakkanad, have successfully performed meshplasty of the uterus, a rare surgery wherein the rupturing uterus was repaired by a unique procedure with a live-moving baby inside, and saved the child and mother.
“The entire procedure and outcome was a great miracle and was being exercised perhaps for the first time in medical history,” claimed Dr Hafeez Rahman, a consultant gynaecologist, and laparoscopic surgeon, who led the surgery.
It was in November 2021, the Coimbatore-based couple -- Zenith and Jayakumar -- first consulted Dr Hafeez at Sunrise Hospital, after the 36-year-old Zenith suffered from chronic infertility problems and adenomyosis, which destroys the uterus. After eight months of laparoscopic adenomyomectomy procedure, a surgical treatment for women with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who want to preserve fertility, at the hospital, she underwent a successful IVF treatment.
The mother and child were safe till the 16th week of the pregnancy. The unexpected twist happened when she suddenly developed a severe bleeding condition as one part of the uterus thinned out to less than one centimetre. It was about to rupture with the baby inside, and the only option was to remove the uterus with the baby. The failure to do so was life-threatening for both.
Thus she was admitted to Sunrise Hospital again in November 2022. Following various treatments and meshplasty of the uterus, on March 29, during the 36th week of pregnancy, a healthy baby boy was delivered through a cesarean.
The decision to undertake the rare surgery was made by the doctor to avoid further risks as the patient and her relatives showed symptoms of Covid. Thanks to Dr Sonia Farhan, Dr Ayesha Tania, Dr Aby Koshu, Dr Shaji P G, Dr Anil V, and Dr Abey Mathew the team that took care of the mother and the child throughout the journey.
“We are married for nine years. For the last eight years, we were trying for a baby. I have also undergone IVF treatment multiple times. But the attempts failed. When we came to Sunrise, we intended to save at least my life. However, with the efforts of Dr Hafeez and the team, we are now blessed with a healthy baby boy,” said Zenith. Dr Hafeez said the hospital management will send the details about the rare surgery done in the hospital to a leading American journal for publication.