3-day-old gets new lease of life after surgery at Tripura Medical College

Agartala: A three-day-old baby girl from Tripura’s Sepahijala district has been given a new lease of life following a complex surgery at Tripura Medical College last week.Born to Mamata and Sahadev Das from Kolomkhet in Urumai, the infant was delivered via caesarean section at a private hospital 10 days ago.

Shortly after birth, she experienced severe respiratory distress during breastfeeding, raising serious concerns among her caregivers.Recognising the urgency, the medical team at the private hospital referred her to Agartala Govt Medical College. However, after two days of treatment without any signs of improvement, her health worsened, leading to her transfer to Tripura Medical College for specialised paediatric surgery.Following a thorough assessment and diagnostic tests, doctors identified her condition as Bochdalek Hernia — an uncommon congenital defect where abdominal organs encroach into the chest cavity through a defect in the diaphragm. In her case, her intestines had moved into the left side of her chest, exerting pressure on her left lung and making breathing difficult.The medical team acted swiftly, performing an emergency two-hour surgery. During the procedure, they carefully repositioned the displaced organs into the abdominal cavity and repaired the diaphragm defect.Hospital officials have announced that the surgery was successful, and the baby has responded well to post-operative care. She is now stable and on her way to recovery.