Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital, Mumbai, successfully treated a one-month-old infant, Kabir Mansuri, suffering from bilateral diaphragmatic eventration—a rare and serious condition that severely affects newborn breathing.
Kabir was just seven days old when he was admitted in critical condition, struggling to breathe and showing dangerously high carbon dioxide levels. Initial 2D echocardiography revealed severe pulmonary hypertension, but doctors suspected an additional diaphragmatic issue. A CT scan confirmed a collapsed lung, pneumonia, and poor diaphragm movement, indicating a congenital defect.
After stabilizing the infant in the neonatal intensive care unit, the paediatric surgical team, led by Dr. Rasiklal Shah, Senior Consultant, performed minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery on both sides of the diaphragm. Using a thin camera and specialized instruments, the surgeons carefully plicated the thin and weak diaphragms, allowing the lungs to expand fully and normalize gas exchange.
Dr. Manju Kumari, Consultant – Critical Care Medicine, Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital, Mumbai, elaborated on the procedure and said, “It was a challenging case as we had to maintain optimum ventilation of the lungs to ensure the baby’s well-being throughout the procedure. Due to the extremely rare congenital defect of the diaphragm, the baby was managed on high-frequency ventilation to provide gentle support to the lungs, while still maintaining oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the body within a safe range. The baby was successfully extubated and discharged without any complications.”
Dr. Zubin Pereira, Facility Director, Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital, Mumbai added, “This case is a testament to the strength of our expert multidisciplinary teams and the advanced neonatal care available at our hospital. Bilateral diaphragmatic eventration is extremely rare and poses life-threatening challenges for newborns. Successfully treating such a young and critically ill patient required seamless coordination between our critical care, surgery, and neonatal teams.”
The minimally invasive approach enabled a rapid recovery and reduced long-term complications. Bilateral diaphragmatic eventration is extremely rare, and if untreated, can lead to respiratory failure. The successful outcome highlights a significant achievement in neonatal care.