Seven months old Iraq baby got a new lease of life at Jaypee Hospital

• In addition to one leg and one hand in his stomach, baby Karam had a total of eight limbs
• Only 5 – 6 people suffer from this disease across the globe   

New Delhi, April 15, 2017: Team of doctors from Paediatric Cardiology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics and Aesthetic & Reconstruction Department of Noida based Jaypee Hospital, have blessed a seven months old baby from Iraq with a new life. The baby had four extra limbs apart from his legs protruding out of his stomach. The team of doctors who performed the critical surgery in three stages included Dr. Rajesh Sharma – Director, Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, Dr. Gaurav Rathore- Senior Consultant, Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Dr. Abhishek- Executive Consultant, Paediatric Surgery and Dr. Ashish Rai and Dr. Saurabh Kumar Gupta from Aesthetics & Reconstructive Surgery department of Jaypee Hospital.

Explaining about Karam’s disease doctors said, “This disease is called Polymelia. In medical history there have been only five to six such cases across the globe. When Karam was brought to Jaypee Hospital for the first time he was just two weeks old and his condition was very critical. He had four extra limbs by birth. Out of which two hands and a leg were like of a normal child. One leg of the baby was shorter than the usual size and the other one was divided into two parts looking like two separate limbs. In addition, two limbs- one like a leg and the other one like a hand were protruding out of the stomach. The baby’s normal leg was also slightly crooked.”

According to Dr. Gaurav Rathore, Senior Consultant, Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement Department, Jaypee Hospital said, “Karam’s father himself is a doctor in an emergency department of a hospital in Iraq. After knowing about the successful cases of Orthopaedics department of Jaypee Hospital he brought Karam to our hospital. The team observed the baby and considering the risk factors we decided to operate him in multiple stages. In the first stage, Karam’s clubfeet was treated and the two limbs which were protruding out of his stomach were removed. After the surgery, Karam went back to Iraq and we were in contact with the parents through phone and email for important instructions.”

Dr. Rathore further added, “Recently, we performed third stage of the surgery in which the other two limbs were also removed from his body. Like any other normal kid, Karam also has two legs now but his left leg was very lean as it was not developed completely. For this, Dr. Ashish Rai from Aesthetic & Reconstruction department transplanted the muscles of the removed limbs to his under developed legs. Along with this, Karam’s crooked back was also treated with PELVIC OSTEOTOMY surgery. Only this surgery took us around 7- 8 hours.”

Explaining about the process followed for the plastic surgery, Dr. Ashish Rai, Senior Consultant, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Jaypee Hospital said, “Both the legs of the baby which were protruding out of the stomach were connected through his Sternum (the breastbone) and there was no abdominal wall defect.  His blood veins were also adjoined to his liver veins. With the help of complex microscopic technique these veins were separated and then his legs protruding out of his stomach were removed from his body. Later, with the help of plastic, aesthetic and reconstruction technique his stomach was given a normal shape.”

Dr. Rajesh Sharma, Director of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, Jaypee Hospital said, “Karam was suffering from ‘CORRECTED TRANSPOSITION OF GREAT ARTERIES’ (CGTA). In this disease the heart’s formation is completely opposite to the natural biological formation. In this disease the body doesn’t turn blue but the patient is always at a risk of a heart failure in future. That is why this disease needs to be cured by the age of two – three so that the body can develop and function in a right way.”

Dr. Sharma further added, “In the second stage of the surgery which was done in December last year, we performed PA Band surgery so that his left ventricle can control his entire body’s  blood circulation after the treatment and he can undergo a ‘Double Switch Surgery’ in future.

Dr. Abhishek, Consultant, Paediatrics Department, Jaypee Hospital said, “When the baby was brought to the hospital, his limbs and the intestines were distorted along with Situs Inversus of the intestine. The baby had only one kidney. Before the operation, the team of doctors from multiple departments discussed and mutually agreed to correct the distorted intestines through the surgery.  One end of the intestine was connected to the other end through Anastomosis method. Karam had one testicle like a normal baby on the right side but on the left side he had two testicles instead of one that too inside the stomach. With the help of surgery, one testicle was removed and the other was brought out of the stomach.  During the surgery, the heart and intestine problems were also corrected. It took us around 6 – 7 hours in every stage of the operation.”  The team of doctors from orthopaedics, paediatrics, paediatric cardiology, kidney and liver along with the aesthetic & reconstruction department of Jaypee Hospital has provided a ray of hope to many patients by performing such miraculous surgeries.