LUCKNOW, May 23 (IANS) Command Hospital, Lucknow has successfully performed a rare surgery on a newborn boy suffering from a rare disorder called Pierre Robin sequence (PRS).
PRS is one such rare disorder in which the lower jaw is too small, along with a cleft in the palate, allowing the child’s uncomfortable breathing. Babies with critical birth conditions rarely reach their first birthday if they are not treated promptly.
PRS affects about 1 in 60,000 live births. They contract pneumonia and other respiratory diseases which make survival difficult.
The hospital witnessed one such case who was shifted from Primary Hospital to Command Hospital, Lucknow.
This newborn baby was having trouble breathing and appeared to have difficulty growing.
A team of specialists headed by Brigadier General M.
Since the child had a relatively lower weight and an underdeveloped lower jaw, tongue-and-tip surgery was performed as a temporary measure. Once the child was fit for major surgery, he was managed to place the deflectors (instruments used to move the lower jaw forward). Video-guided intubation has been resorted to by anesthesiologists.
The baby’s small lower jaw has been lengthened by over 10 mm using the latest surgical technique called histogenesis to distract the newborn.
This new surgical technique was developed by Russian military surgeon Gavriel Ilizarov to lengthen amputated limbs for Russian soldiers.
This technique has been successfully adapted by maxillofacial surgeons to lengthen human jaws. This technique involves intentionally creating a fracture on both sides of the jaw to allow 4-5 days to heal and gradually separating the portions of the jaws by stretching the healing tissue, thus harnessing the underlying biological potential.
Lengthening the lower jaw moved the tongue forward and opened the collapsed upper airway thus helping the child to breathe normally.
The child was weaned off all ventilators and was discharged after 61 days of stay and is now on the road to a full recovery.
– Jans
amita / prw / ksk /
