In an extraordinary medical breakthrough, a 30-week premature infant boy weighing only 1.3 kilograms has been successfully operated on at Mumbai’s Jaslok Hospital for a rare and life-threatening condition. The baby, born with Tracheoesophageal Fistula (TEF) Type 3, a congenital defect where the upper food pipe ends in a pouch, faced severe complications soon after birth.
A Race Against Time
The newborn was rushed overnight from Vapi, Gujarat, to Mumbai after his condition deteriorated. Dr Fazal Nabi, Director of Paediatrics, personally drove to Gujarat to stabilize the baby and escorted him to Mumbai for emergency care.
Describing it as a “landmark surgery,” Dr Nabi said, “He is the lightest baby in India to have undergone this rare surgery.”
High-Risk, Single-Stage Surgery
Paediatric Surgeon Dr Nargish Barsiwala led the delicate procedure, choosing a single-stage corrective surgery to ensure the child could retain and use his own esophagus. “The tissues were extremely fragile—almost transparent,” she said. “We treated him with utmost care under anesthesia. His intestines were also inflating dangerously during feeds, which required a successful gastrostomy.”
The procedure involved using specially sourced instruments due to the baby’s small size, and a critical esophageal dilation to allow for normal feeding.
Overcoming the Odds
With a reported survival rate of just 50% for TEF surgeries, the child’s recovery is being hailed as miraculous. The infant has now gained weight and weighs 2.1 kg. After being on a nasogastric tube for over a month, a feeding gastrostomy procedure was successfully completed, and the NG tube was removed.
An IVF Baby and a Family’s Hope
The child, born to Tushar and Trupti Dharne through IVF, is now on the road to recovery. The couple expressed their deep gratitude to the medical team. “We owe our baby’s life to the doctors who went above and beyond for our son,” said the father.
Doctors are now equipping the family with detailed instructions on feeding, medication, and red flags to monitor. This story of resilience, medical excellence, and human spirit has captured hearts and restored faith in miracles.