Keyhole surgery performed on newborn
(L-R) Dr Chela Lamsee-Ebanks; Sacha Miller, holding daughter, Sariah; and Dr Zoltan Szucs
(CNS Local Life): Surgeons at the Cayman Islands Hospital performed the first-ever laparoscopic surgery on a newborn here. The technique, also known as keyhole surgery, was used to operate on a three-week-old patient suffering from pyloric stenosis, a digestive disorder in newborns which keeps food from moving into the intestines. A multidisciplinary team, including both public and private doctors, performed the surgery.
Sacha and Fitzroy Miller, parents of Sariah, said they became terrified after their newborn begun projectile vomiting over an extended period of time, stated a Health Services Authority (HSA) press release. They took her to see the paediatrician at the hospital where an ultrasound examination confirmed a diagnosis of pyloric stenosis. The infant’s excessive vomiting had resulted in severe dehydration and also curtailed her weight gain and development.
The paediatrician explained to the Millers that their baby required surgery. A public-private partnership including private consultant surgeon Dr Zoltan Szucs, HSA paediatrician Dr Chela Lamsee-Ebanks and a multidisciplinary team comprising operating room (OR) and paediatric staff at the hospital met to review the case and the necessary clinical intervention.
Sariah was able to feed the same day after her operation. “She did well through the surgery and I am grateful that it is over,” said Sacha Miller. “She is doing great and functioning as a regular baby should. I want to thank God and all the staff of the Cayman Islands Hospital.”
In severe cases and if left untreated, pyloric stenosis can lead to death. In the Cayman Islands, this disorder occurs in an average of five to 10 newborns per year. Previously, local physicians occasionally performed open surgery on infants at the hospital, but most commonly, they were transferred overseas for the operation.
The Millers said of the hospital’s service, “We felt the staff that worked both day and night put their hearts into the care they provided. They treated our child as if she was their own.”
Dr Szucs added, “I am glad that we are able to provide such service at the Cayman Islands Hospital and thank the management team of the HSA for providing the background and conditions of this procedure, including highly specialised instrumentation, OR and hospital facilities, but most importantly, passionate and appropriately trained staff.”
Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that involves small keyhole incisions made on the stomach resulting in a shorter recovery time, reduced chance of early and late potential complications and improved cosmetic results in comparison to the traditional open-surgery approach. The procedure was performed for Sariah with special micro instruments; scars were practically invisible at her three-week follow-up, said the press release.
Category: Medical and Health
