KIMS Cuddles Doctors Give New Lease of Life to Newborn
In a rare and life-saving medical intervention, doctors at KIMS Cuddles, Kurnool, successfully performed a complex surgery on a newborn baby on the seventh day after birth, saving the infant’s life.
- Successful surgery performed on the 7th day after birth
- Hirschsprung’s disease treated with advanced technique
Kurnool: In a rare and life-saving medical intervention, doctors at KIMS Cuddles, Kurnool, successfully performed a complex surgery on a newborn baby on the seventh day after birth, saving the infant’s life.
Sharing details of the case, Consultant Pediatric Urologist Dr. Sai Prasuna said that the baby, born to a couple from Gadwal district in Telangana, had not passed stools even two days after birth, causing concern among the parents. The child was immediately brought to KIMS Cuddles, Kurnool, for evaluation.
Upon examination, doctors diagnosed the baby with Hirschsprung’s disease, a congenital condition in which nerve cells responsible for bowel movements are absent in a portion of the intestine. As a result, the affected segment fails to relax, preventing the normal passage of stool. This can lead to intestinal blockage, abdominal distension, and serious infections.
“In newborns, the first 48 hours after birth are critical. Failure to pass stools during this period is considered a ‘surgical warning sign,’” the doctor explained.
As hours passed without bowel movement, the baby developed symptoms such as abdominal swelling and greenish vomiting by the second day, indicating worsening of the condition.
The medical team decided to perform surgery on the seventh day after birth. Traditionally, this condition required a two-stage surgical approach, involving an initial procedure to create a colostomy (external opening for stool passage), followed by a second corrective surgery later.
However, the KIMS Cuddles team adopted an advanced Transanal Endorectal Pull-Through (TERPT) procedure, which allows surgeons to correct the defect in a single stage without any external incisions.
“This technique eliminates the need for a colostomy bag and enables complete correction in one surgery. It is safer, leaves no visible scars, and ensures faster recovery for the baby,” Dr. Sai Prasuna said.
Doctors also cautioned parents against ignoring persistent constipation in children. While many cases may be due to habitual constipation, Hirschsprung’s disease does not respond to medications. If left untreated, it can lead to a severe and potentially life-threatening intestinal infection known as enterocolitis.
Parents are advised to seek immediate medical attention if a newborn shows warning signs such as refusal to feed, greenish vomiting, abdominal distension, or failure to pass stools despite medication.
