The Pudukkottai Government Medical College Hospital performed a procedure to surgically correct a bowel obstruction in a newborn, allowing it to ingest food normally.
The procedure, called jejunostomy, was performed on a baby born to Vinita Murugesan, from Arasadipatti in Alangudi, Pudukkottai. The doctors had noticed a swelling in the abdomen and following examination, the baby was diagnosed with jejunal atresia, a congenital defect wherein the connection between the small intestine and the back wall of the abdomen is absent.
N. Balasubramanian, paediatrician and a team of anaesthesiologists led by Ravi Kumar performed the jejunostomy on June 27, when the baby was 3-days-old. The procedure involved cutting the underdeveloped bowel and bringing it outside in an attempt to shrink the distal portion. “Once the bowel attained normal size, the doctors returned the bowel back to the abdomen through a procedure called jejunostomy closure,” said A.L. Meenakshi Sundaram, Dean of the college
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The baby, now two-weeks old has regular bowel movements and is being breastfed without any difficulty, the doctors said adding that the baby will be discharged on July 12.
“Sometimes, a portion of the intestine may not receive adequate blood supply causing this condition. The blockage called ‘atretic segment’ was 10 cm long. This surgery may cost around ₹1.5 lakh in a private set up but was done free of cost under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme,” Mr. Sundaram added.