Telangana: NIMS Surgeons reconstruct food pipes in two children

The second kid, an 18-month-old baby from Visakhapatnam, was born without a food pipe. The surgeons had performed the colonic interposition on July 5, ten days after which he was discharged, reports the Telangana Today. 

Dr N Bheerappa, Prof. and HoD, Surgical Gastroenterology in NIMS said, "A part of the intestine was brought from the abdomen to the neck via chest as a substitute. The surgery demands huge technical expertise and acumen leaving a margin of error to almost nil." He further added that such complex surgeries have not been reported so far in India, adding that very few centres in the world have performed and reported the colonic interposition for esophageal atresia. 

Dr Bheerappa stated, "We could offer this prototype solution due to the vast experience gained from performing more than 600 colonic interposition surgeries for adults."

Esophageal Atresia is a rare illness found in 2 out of 1000 babies and in most cases, there is an abnormal connection between the food pipe and the windpipe which leads to additional breathing problems. Such patients might have one or multiple constellations of other organ defects usually denoted by the acronym VACTREL (Vertebral defects, Anal atresia, Cardiac defects, Tracheo-esophageal fistula, Renal anomalies, and Limb deformities). 

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