Newborn Baby Undergoes Complex Surgery To Treat Rare Breathing Disorder

A newborn baby underwent a complex ear nose throat (ENT) surgery at a hospital in Dubai to successfully treat a rare breathing disorder that occurs in one infant per 10,000 births.

The 1-day-old was referred to Zulekha Hospital in Dubai after he was unable to breathe from his nose and was intubated, Khaleej Times reported. The baby was kept on a ventilator for respiratory support.

He was then admitted to the hospital at the newborn intensive care unit under the care of Dr. Deepu Abraham, consultant neonatology and pediatric, and Dr Nishath Ahmed, consultant neonatologist & specialist pediatrics, Gulf News reported.

A CT scan revealed part of the baby’s nose, which opened into the oral cavity, was closed on both sides by a bony plate. This anomaly is called "Bilateral Choanal Atresia," which is very rare. No details about the baby or his parents were revealed.

Specialist otolaryngology Dr. Vivek Sharma successfully operated on the baby along with the support from specialist ENT surgeon Dr Naveen Gupta and specialist anesthetist Dr Shalini Dadu.

“We did an endoscopic correction of the anomaly and created a new opening behind the nose so that the neonate could freely breathe from his nose. The baby’s postoperative recovery is satisfactory and he was extubated 24 hours after the surgery," Dr. Sharma.

Doctors said the surgery was complex as there was limited access to the affected areas inside the baby’s nose and also because of his age.

“Some babies do have associated heart and other organ abnormalities in such a condition. Hence, we did a detailed evaluation of the baby but nothing more was detected. The baby was treated in time by our muti-speciality team and discharged in stable condition. The baby is also on complete breast feed and is gaining appropriate healthy weight," Dr Abraham said.

When a baby is born with bilateral choanal atresia — meaning the condition affects both sides of the nose — then it’s considered a life-threatening emergency, according to Cleveland Clinic. This is because infants breathe almost exclusively through their noses. The exact cause of this condition is unknown.

However, it is believed it occurs when the piece of tissue that separates the mouth and nose remains intact after the baby is born.