A thirty-week premature infant boy, weighing only 1.3 kg and facing life-threatening complications shortly after birth, was saved by the doctors at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai with a one-stage surgery for tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) type 3 – a rare and serious anomaly in which the food pipe’s upper segment ends in a blind pouch.
Dr Fazal Nabi, Director Paediatrics, described it as a landmark surgery and said, “He was the lightest baby in India who underwent this surgery”.
A challenging case for doctors
“This was a challenging case, especially because of the low body weight of the child. We had to carry out an endoscopy with specially procured equipment for the tiny organs of the baby. An esophageal dilation was performed to rescue the child from danger and facilitate normal feeding”, he said.
One-stage surgery on premature child
Dr Nargish Barsiwala, a Paediatric Surgeon, mentioned a single-stage surgery was preferred because it doesn’t involve esophageal replacement and the child continues with his own esophagus for the rest of his life.
“Tissues were very delicate and almost transparent. We treated him with utmost care under anesthesia…He faced intestinal complications as the intestines were getting full and abdomen became inflated when fed. A successful gastrostomy was done to treat this”, she explained.
50 percent survival rate
The baby was on (NG) Nasogastric tube feeding along with partial TPN. Nasogastric tube teeding was given for about a month and then a decision was taken for performing a feeding gastrostomy procedure and the NG tube was removed.
Both doctors pointed out that there’s a 50 percent survival rate in the TEF surgery and the baby has “miraculously survived”.
L-R Dr Fazal Nabi, Mr Tushar, Mrs Trupti with baby, Dr Nargish Barsiwala, Dr Rajani Prajish |
Baby has gained weight
Notably, the child has also gained weight to 2.1 kgs.
Identified as Tushar Dharne, the father pointed out that he and his 30-year-old wife underwent an IVF treatment to conceive the baby.
The baby was transferred to the Mumbai hospital for medical attention over midnight after calls from the Vapi-based couple. Dr Nabi himself drove to Gujarat, stabilised the baby and constantly monitored his condition before carrying out the surgery with his team.
The family is now receiving comprehensive guidance on safe feeding practices, medication schedules, and vital warning signs to watch for in the infant boy.
