Military doctors in Punjab perform lifesaving operation

The Army on Saturday informed that doctors at the Military Hospital in Punjab's Pathankot have performed an emergency lifesaving operation on a newborn baby amidst fighting in the frontline against coronavirus pandemic.

Chandigarh: Doctors at the Military Hospital in Pathankot in Punjab amidst fighting in the frontline against COVID-19 pandemic have performed an emergency lifesaving operation on a newborn baby, the army said on Saturday.

One-day-old baby of a soldier born out of a caesarian section was suspected to have a rare congenital anomaly of the intestines which had consequently developed intestinal block and perforation with contamination of abdomen with fecal material leading to septic infection.

Prompt diagnosis was made, but the condition of the baby was critical and he was not fit for transfer to the nearest pediatric surgery centre of the armed forces at Chandimandir near Chandigarh, which was six hours travel by road.

Due to the lockdown, there was no pediatric surgeon available in the civil hospitals of Pathankot.

Major Adil Abdul Kalam, Surgical Specialist at the Pathankot Military Hospital, performed the intricate and challenging operation of opening up the abdomen of the newborn baby who was on a ventilator, repairing of the tears in intestine and creation of stoma for diverting the stools.

This is for the first time in the Armed Forces Medical Services wherein such an intricate operation on a newborn is done at a zonal hospital with no pediatric surgeon, anesthesiologist or neonatologist available, said the statement.

The operation was performed in an emergency, which if even delayed by a few minutes could have resulted in exacerbation of multi-organ failure, leading to death.

The doctor said it was an extremely challenging and stressful task to manage the case in the absence of super speciality facilities.

Performing the intricate surgery in the intestines of the newborn with associated generalised septic infection was technically arduous and gruelling but the team of doctors and nurses effectively carried out the surgery and now the baby is out of ventilator, tolerating breastfeeds and is on the way to healthy recovery, added the statement.

(IANS)