THREE DAYS OLD INFANT UNDERGOES SUCCESSFUL ESOPHAGEAL SURGERY

Dr. Mazen Salowm and Team with Joud and his mother

Sharjah, UAE, 16 September 2019: Zulekha Hospital saved the life of an infant suffering from Esophageal Atresia (EA), a rare birth defect in which a baby is born without part of the esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach). Instead of forming a tube between the mouth and the stomach, the esophagus grows in two separate segments that do not connect. A baby with this birth defect is unable to pass food from the mouth to the stomach, and sometimes faces difficulty in breathing.

Joud, born at Zulekha Hospital Sharjah was diagnosed with the condition soon after his birth. He experienced symptoms that included frothy white bubbles in his mouth, coughing when feeding, the blue colour of the skin, especially during feeding and breathing difficulty. Although EA can be life-threatening in its most severe forms and could cause long-term nutritional concerns, the majority of the children fully recover if it is detected early. The best treatment for EA is usually a surgery to reconnect the two ends of the baby’s esophagus. 

Dr. Mazen Salowm, Specialist Paediatric Surgeon commented:  “On an average, the condition affects 1 in 2000 to 4000 live births with a slightly higher incidence in male than female. The right care and treatment of esophageal atresia are highly dependent on the surgical expertise and facilities available in the treating hospital. At Zulekha Hospital, a fully experienced dedicated team including nurses, surgeons, neonatologists and anesthetists worked relentlessly to provide the baby with the best medical care.” 

Joud underwent an innovative procedure where Dr. Mazen Salowm performed The Foker technique which allows esophageal lengthening facilitating end to end anastomosis in long gap esophageal atresia. Thoracotomy was done on the third day of birth which gave the doctors access to the organs within the chest. Two small silicon tubes (0.5 cm) were fixed to each end of the esophagus and connected to a thread that extracted through the chest wall to apply daily external traction on both esophageal ends, trying to elongate the esophagus by growth stimulation.”

The infant was on ventilated care for six days followed by rethoracotomy on the sixth day to reconnect the esophagus. 

The parents thanked the medical team profusely and added, “We are extremely thankful for the excellent support to us by the Zulekha medical team during Joud’s difficult situation. The moments were very tense for us and we were assured of the best care by the doctor.”

Joud abstained from any liquid intake for a week. Following which a Gastrografin Swallows test was performed and that highlighted the successful reconnection of the esophagus.

The infant gradually recovered and was discharged with his mother on oral feeding. 

About Zulekha Healthcare Group www.zulekhahospitals.com 

Zulekha Healthcare Group is a Superbrand and among the forerunners in UAE healthcare. Today the Zulekha Healthcare Group includes two multidisciplinary hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah, as well as four UAE medical centres and three pharmacies providing specialised treatments in over 30 disciplines. The group also has a multidisciplinary hospital in India – Alexis. Zulekha Hospital has received extensive recognition for its commitment towards quality care and sustainable business practices, and recently received the prestigious Dubai Quality Award for the second time in four years, underling a commitment to providing high-quality healthcare to patients and society. 

Media Contact:

Sameena Khanam – Senior Manager of PR and Communication
Zulekha Hospitals +971 6 5069254 
skhanam@zulekhahospitals.com

Zainab Chakkiwala- Marketing Co-ordinator

T: +971 6 5069328  

zchakkiwala@zulekhahospitals.com