KARACHI: The Pediatric Surgery team at Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi successfully performed a bedside operation on a newborn baby for hernia repair.
The surgery occurred in the neonatal intensive care unit, making it a first-of-its-kind operation.
The baby boy, born on 25 April 2023 at the Aga Khan Maternal and Child Care Centre (AKMCCC) in Hyderabad, faced breathing problems shortly after birth, leading to a congenital diaphragmatic hernia diagnosis.
CDH occurs when the diaphragm, the muscle which separates the abdomen from the chest, fails to close properly, letting abdominal organs shift into the chest cavity. This condition can affect the growth of the heart and lungs and could be life-threatening for newborns.
Due to the baby’s critical condition, he was immediately shifted to AKUH’s main campus in Karachi and admitted to the NICU. Despite receiving immediate care, his condition remained critical, necessitating surgery as the only solution for his CDH.
The unique challenge in surgery
During the surgery, the team faced a unique challenge as the baby’s instability made it impossible to shift him to the operating room, requiring an alternative approach.
The AKUH experts decided to transform the NICU into an operation theatre that fulfilled all safety and sterility requirements for the surgery.
Led by Pediatric Surgery head Dr Muhammad Aqil Soomro and supported by an expert team of pediatric surgeons, NICU nurses and doctors, the anesthesia team, and support staff, the bedside operation was successfully performed. The surgery, lasting 2 hours, concluded without any big complications.
Following the operation, the baby’s respiration improved, and he made considerable progress with medications and gradual weaning off ventilation.
