Pune: Doctors at a city hospital successfully performed complex corrective surgeries on a day-old baby boy born with multiple birth defects and saved his life. The baby was born with tracheoesophageal fistula and also had patent ductus arteriosus.

The baby was born through a Cesarean section at Columbia Asia Hospital in Kharadi and weighed 2.5 kg. He showed excessive frothing and respiratory distress and was shifted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. In addition to other conditions, the baby also did not have an anal opening.

Hospital’s pediatric surgeon, Dr Pranav Jadhav, and pediatric critical care expert, Dr Ganesh Badge, performed the surgeries to correct the abnormal connection between the food and wind pipes. A colostomy was also performed to create the anal opening.

Jadhav said that in cases of tracheoesophageal fistula, the acid formed in the stomach can reach the lungs which can cause pneumonia. The surgery is critical and is associated with nearly 10% chances of death. It took three to four hours to complete the surgery under full anesthesia, he said.

The baby was kept for three days on ventilator in an upright position. Badge said that the baby’s blood pressure was low and was given drugs to increase the force or speed of contraction of heart muscles.

The baby did not develop any complications, including sepsis or hypoglycemia, during his stay at the NICU. Jadhav said that the mother has also been trained in colostomy wound care. She knows how to clean after the child passes stool and general dressing.

The baby is doing well now. The mother stated that he has gained weight and has shown significant recovery.