Baby with intestine within intestine recovers after operation at Bengaluru hospital

BENGALURU: When nine-month-old Khateeja complained of pain in her stomach and would cry inconsolably, her parents thought it was an infection. They didn’t imagine it would be a case of intestine within intestine, a rare occurrence among kids. Making it worse, one of her major veins connecting the intestine to the heart was blocked, requiring surgery.
The girl who fought for life for more than a fortnight in April is well now after two successful operations. When she was first seen in the hospital four months ago, Khateeja was sick, vomiting, lethargic and dehydrated. As against the normal 10kg weight of a nine-month-old, she was only 6kg. Ultrasound tests proved half of her small intestine was dead and it had slid within the large intestine, causing a blockage. The condition could have resulted in gangrene formation if not operated soon after diagnosis, said Aster CMI hospital doctors.
“Intussusception is a surgical emergency observed during the age of six months to three years and can be easily tackled by an operation. It usually develops after solid complimentary feeds are introduced at the age of six months. However, not many parents are aware of this. The best time to get treatment is within six hours,” said Dr Dhiraj K Balaji, consultant, paediatric surgery and urology, Aster CMI Hospital.
While everyone thought Khaleeja would get better post-surgery, her condition deteriorated as water started accumulating in her abdomen a couple of days . “A CT scan angiography showed she suffered from superior mesenteric vein stenosis, because of which a major vein connecting her intestine and heart was almost closed. This can be treated using specific drugs to control blood pressure in the intestine,” said Dr Balaji.
“My daugher is now able to have small portions of food, and she is active,” said her father Irshad Basha.