BENGALURU, India , Aug. 21, 2024 -- A 2-month-old baby girl with alarming symptoms of severe breathing difficulty and persistent vomiting found relief through innovative endoscopic surgery.

Baby Anaya (name changed) was admitted to Manipal Hospital Varthur Road in a severe condition as she suffered from noisy breathing – a condition caused due to difficulty in breathing and with episodes of vomiting for a month. These symptoms led to significant weight loss, a condition medically referred to as 'failure to thrive.' The infant's condition was dire, and immediate medical intervention was necessary.

Upon admission to the ENT department, a diagnostic endoscopy revealed that the baby was suffering from severe Laryngomalacia - a condition characterised by floppy voice box and windpipe causing the inlet of windpipe to close during each breath, making it extremely challenging for the infant to breathe properly. A multidisciplinary team of doctors, including Dr. Leena Balachandar, Consultant – ENT Surgeon, Dr. M V Uday Shankar, Consultant - Senior Anaesthetist, and Dr. Gurudutt A V, Consultant - Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), were faced with the daunting task of performing a complex surgery - Supraglottoplasty to improve the infant's condition while correcting the defect.

Leading the procedure, Dr. Leena Balachandar explained, "The diagnosis of severe laryngomalacia required immediate surgical intervention. We opted for a Supraglottoplasty, an intricate endoscopic procedure with no external cuts. The surgery is particularly challenging due to the narrow space we have to work in, but it was essential for the baby's survival."

Parents were thoroughly explained about the procedure, including its risks and the necessity of post-operative ventilator support who readily agreed to go ahead with the hope of seeing their child happy and thriving in life.

With the medical team proceeding with the delicate surgery, Dr. M V Uday Shankar had the delicate task of ventilating the infant without an endotracheal tube. During any conventional surgery, the patient is ventilated through a tube passed through the windpipe; however, in surgeries involving windpipes like that of baby Anaya, the endotracheal tube is not an option and they need to be innovative to ventilate the patient. He noted, "Administering anesthesia to such a small child, especially for airway surgery, is incredibly challenging. We had to be quite innovative with our approach so we could make sure the baby was adequately ventilated throughout the procedure. It's always a team effort in such complex cases, especially in babies so young."

The procedure was performed successfully, and the baby was placed on a ventilator in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) under the care of Dr. Gurudutt A V and his team. He said, "Post-operative care played a major role in the recovery of baby Anaya. We closely monitored the baby, and we are pleased that she was out of ventilator support just 48 hours after surgery. Her recovery has been nothing short of remarkable."

Five days after the surgery, baby Anaya was discharged on 26 July 2024 with no signs of breathing difficulty and feeding comfortably. Today, the baby girl enjoys a healthier life with her family, growing rapidly.

For more information, please visit: https://www.manipalhospitals.com/

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