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Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, have successfully performed a rare and technically complex lung surgery on a four-month-old infant born with a congenital lung malformation affecting both lungs, with the child being discharged just two days after the operation.
According to AIIMS, the infant was diagnosed before birth with Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation (CPAM), a rare condition in which part of the lung develops abnormally, forming non-functional cyst-like tissue. The condition affected both lungs, making the surgery more challenging than typical cases involving only one lung. Instead of removing an entire lobe of the lung, the surgical team performed a segmentectomy, removing only the diseased portions of the right lung while preserving as much healthy lung tissue as possible. The procedure involved the removal of segments 9 and 10 of the right lower lobe, considered among the most technically difficult lung segments to operate on. "This safely performed keyhole surgery on an infant just four months old is a significant technical achievement. Outcomes like this are only possible because of teamwork and the dedicated healthcare workers at AIIMS, whose infrastructure and facilities are well suited to conducting such complex, lung-preserving pediatric surgeries," said Dr Sandeep Agarwala, Head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery at AIIMS. The surgery was led by Professor Vishesh Jain of the Department of Pediatric Surgery. AIIMS said a key factor in the operation's success was selective lung ventilation, a specialised anaesthesia technique that allows surgeons to operate on one lung while the other continues supporting the child's breathing. The procedure was managed by Dr Abhishek from the Department of Anaesthesia. The surgery was completed without complications, and the infant was discharged two days later. Since the congenital malformation affects both lungs, the operation addressed only the right lung. AIIMS said the child will undergo a second surgery on the left lung in the coming months after recovering from the first procedure. The institute said the case demonstrates that lung-preserving surgery, rather than removing an entire lobe, is now a feasible option even in very young infants when clinically appropriate, offering better prospects for long-term lung function. (ANI)
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