Tiny triumph: IGMC doctors pull off thoracoscopic surgery on 5-month-old

In a milestone for paediatric surgery, Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, has performed its first-ever thoracoscopic repair of left haemidiaphragm eventration on a five-month-old infant. The patient, a preterm baby born at DDU Hospital, Shimla, with a birth weight of 2.8 kg and RH incompatibility, was referred to the Department of Paediatrics, IGMC-Shimla, with complaints of tachypnoea and desaturation.

As per the IGMC spokesperson, the child was managed twice in the PICU for recurrent chest infections and respiratory distress under the care of Dr Praveen Bhardwaj before being diagnosed with diaphragmatic eventration. Subsequently, the infant underwent thoracoscopic repair, a procedure performed for the first time at IGMC Shimla by the paediatric surgery team comprising Dr. Raj Kumar, Dr. Kamal Kant Sharma, Dr Naveen Thakur, and RK Negi, Dr Manjit, Dr Pradeep, Dr Ram Lok.

“The minimally invasive procedure is especially challenging in infants due to limited operative space, an inflating lung, and continuous diaphragmatic movement,” the spokesperson said.

Dr Raj Kumar, head of the paediatric surgery team, said: “Early diagnosis and expert management of diaphragmatic disorders can prevent recurrent pneumonia and tachypnoea-related mortality. While similar cases were previously treated with open surgery, this landmark case highlights the successful introduction of infantile thoracoscopic repair at IGMC. We thank hospital administration for the logistic support, which has enabled us to take on complex minimal access paediatric surgeries.” An anaesthesia team, led by Dr S Sodhi, also played a critical role in the surgery.