Kolkata: Five-year-old boy makes miraculous recovery after major lung surgery

Doctors in Kolkata have successfully treated a fiveyearold boy for a massive rightsided pleural empyema which is a serious infection marked by the accumulation of pus in the space between the lungs and the chest wallThe boy a resident of Alipurduar had been experiencing high fever and severe breathing difficulties for nearly a week before being admitted to a local hospital in North Bengal As his condition deteriorated he was referred to Manipal Hospital in Mukundapur At the time of admission the child was in severe respiratory distress as the infected fluid was compressing his right lung and making breathing extremely difficultHe was then treated by Dr Subhasis Saha consultant ndash Paediatric Surgery and Dr Sayantan Bhowmick associate consultant Paediatric Pulmonology at the hospitalAfter rapid stabilisation the team decided on early VideoAssisted Thoracoscopic Surgery VATS a minimally invasive procedure to drain the infection and allow the lung to expandFollowing the operation the child required mechanical ventilation a breathing machine for about ten days because the right lung initially failed to fully reexpand and a pneumothorax air leak in the lung developed Under the supervision of the Paediatric Intensive Care team led by Dr Saumen Meur senior consultant Paediatric Intensive Care along with Dr Monideepa Dutta consultant Paediatric Intensive Care precise ventilatory strategies infection control and lungprotective physiotherapy were implemented Gradually the lung expanded the air leak resolved and Arya was successfully taken off the ventilator and discharged in excellent healthWhile discussing the case Dr Saha said ldquoEmpyema in children can progress rapidly and if not treated in time can become lifethreatening In Aryarsquos case early surgical intervention through minimally invasive VideoAssisted Thoracoscopic Surgery VATS was vital to remove the infection and help his lung expand again Paediatric surgery is not just about precision itrsquos also about understanding the fear and anxiety that families go through when their child is unwell Our team worked closely with the parents at every step to ensure they felt supported and informed Seeing the child recover smile and go back to his normal playful self after such a critical illness is the most fulfilling outcome we could hope forrdquoDr Bhowmick who guided the boys respiratory care added ldquoWhen a child comes in with such a serious lung infection every minute counts Aryarsquos lungs were filled with pus which made it very hard for him to breathe Our first step was to remove the pus through a minimally invasive surgery called VATS so the lung could start working again While he was on the breathing machine we carefully monitored his oxygen levels and used medicines to fight infection and reduce inflammation We aimed to minimise airway pressures optimise drainage and antibiotic therapy and support the lungrsquos natural healing process with structured physiotherapy This case is a strong reminder that teamwork timely surgery and roundtheclock care can make all the difference in saving a childrsquos liferdquoThe boys mother said ldquoWatching my little boy gasping for breath and burning with high fever for seven relentless days was nothing short of a nightmare After trying treatment locally and seeing no improvement we had to travel all the way to Manipal Hospital in Mukundapur hoping for specialised care From the moment we arrived the doctors and nurses were compassionate calm and extremely thorough explaining every step and ensuring my child was comfortable Thanks to their exceptional care and dedication Arya is now back home healthy and full of energy We will always be deeply grateful to the entire team for giving our son a second chance at liferdquo