Ahmedabad: Doctors at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital have successfully performed a complex reconstructive surgery on a two-and-a-half-year-old child born with Pure Oesophageal Atresia, a rare congenital condition in which the food pipe (oesophagus) does not develop properly. Following the surgery, the child has started eating through his mouth for the first time since birth. Hospital officials described the procedure as a major achievement for the paediatric surgery department and said it highlights the institution’s expertise in managing complex congenital disorders.
What Is Pure Oesophageal Atresia?
The child, Mantavya, son of Shailesh Patel from Sanand in Ahmedabad district, was born on November 7, 2023, with Pure Oesophageal Atresia, a rare birth defect in which the upper and lower ends of the oesophagus remain widely separated, preventing the formation of a continuous food pipe. Because of this condition, Mantavya was unable to swallow milk or food through his mouth from birth.
Emergency Procedures Performed Soon After Birth
To save the child’s life, doctors performed two emergency procedures on the second day after birth:
* Oesophagostomy, in which an opening was created in the neck.
* Gastrostomy, where a feeding tube was inserted directly into the stomach.
Since then, the child received liquid nutrition through the feeding tube while remaining under regular medical supervision.
Advanced Gastric Pull-Up Surgery
Once the child’s nutritional status, body weight and overall development had improved, doctors planned definitive reconstructive surgery. The operation was successfully performed on July 3 using an advanced gastric pull-up procedure. In this technique, the stomach is mobilised and used to create a new oesophagus, allowing food to pass normally from the mouth to the stomach.
The surgery was performed by a team led by Dr. Rakesh Joshi, Medical Superintendent, Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and Head of the Department of Paediatric Surgery Dr. Jayashree Ramji and Anaesthesiologists Dr. Aditi and Dr. Sonal Bhalavat
Child Able to Eat Orally for the First Time
Twenty-three days after surgery, Mantavya was able to eat through his mouth for the first time. Doctors said the child recovered without any complications and has since been discharged from the hospital in good health. His parents said they were overwhelmed with joy to see their son eat normally for the first time and expressed their gratitude to the medical team involved in his treatment.
How Common Is This Condition?
According to medical data, Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula (TOF) occurs in approximately one out of every 2,500 to 4,000 live births. However, Pure Oesophageal Atresia, where the two ends of the oesophagus are widely separated, is much rarer. In such cases, gastric pull-up surgery is considered the most effective reconstructive option and has a reported success rate of 85 to 90 percent.
Doctors Highlight Importance of Timely Treatment
Dr. Rakesh Joshi said that this type of surgery requires highly specialised surgical expertise and an experienced multidisciplinary team.
He added that maintaining the child’s nutritional status before surgery and performing the operation at the right time are critical for achieving good outcomes.
According to Dr. Joshi, although this advanced procedure is expensive in many private hospitals, it is available free of cost at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. He also said that the hospital’s paediatric surgery team has successfully performed seven such complex surgeries over the past year.
