Kurnool Doctors Perform Rare “Single-Stage” Surgery, save 7 day old baby

Kurnool: A rare complex, life saving procedure was conducted on a seven day infant suffering from a rare congenital intestinal disorder by doctors at KIMS Cuddles, Kurnool. The baby is recovering well after this complex surgery.

What was the reason for surgery?

A seven day old infant was diagnosed to suffer from congenital intestinal disorder.

The baby, born to a couple from the Gadwal district of Telangana, initially appeared healthy but failed to pass stools within the first 48 hours of life. As the delay stretched into a second day, the infant began experiencing severe abdominal swelling and greenish vomiting—classic red flags for an internal blockage.

Diagnosis showed Hirschsprung’s disease

Upon arrival at KIMS Cuddles, Dr. Sai Prasuna, Consultant Pediatric Urologist, diagnosed the infant with Hirschsprung’s disease. This condition occurs when nerve cells (ganglion cells) are missing from parts of the large intestine. Without these nerves, the muscles in the bowel cannot relax to push stool through, leading to a dangerous backup.

“In newborns, the first 48 hours are a critical window,” Dr. Prasuna explained. “Failure to pass stools during this period is a major ‘surgical warning sign’ that cannot be ignored.”

Traditionally, treating Hirschsprung’s in such a young infant required two separate operations. The first would involve a colostomy—creating an external opening in the abdomen for waste to collect in a bag—followed by a corrective surgery months later.

However, the team at KIMS Cuddles opted for a more advanced, minimally invasive approach: the Transanal Endorectal Pull-Through (TERPT) procedure.

Key Benefits of the TERPT Procedure:

Single Stage: The defect is corrected in one go, bypassing the need for a temporary colostomy bag.

No Scars: The surgery is performed through the natural opening, leaving no external incisions.

Faster Recovery: Minimizes trauma to the newborn’s body, allowing for a quicker return to normal feeding.

A Warning to Parents

Following the successful operation, the medical team issued a cautionary note to parents regarding persistent constipation in children. While often habitual, constipation that does not respond to medication can signal Hirschsprung’s disease.

If left untreated, the condition can escalate into enterocolitis, a severe and potentially fatal intestinal infection. Dr. Prasuna advised parents to seek immediate medical intervention if a newborn exhibits:

Refusal to feed

Greenish (bilious) vomiting

Significant abdominal distension

Failure to pass stools within 48 hours of birth

The infant is currently recovering well.