Kochi: A 19 year-old patient, who was found
to have a major birth defect known as Morgagini hernia of
diaphragm, was successfully operated upon by a team of doctors
at the private Lakeshore hospital here recently.
This is a rare surgery, Dr Moosa Kunhi, well known cardiac
surgeon, who led the surgical team, said.
The patient was recovering very well after the 8 hour
surgery, he said.
The patient, a medical nurse, had come to the hospital
for a medical checkup for overseas assignment and was found
to have this major defect in her diaphragm, liver, stomach,
gall bladder, small intestine, important blood vessels of the
abdomen and part of the spleen were occupying the right side
of her chest instead of their usual abdominal positions.
This had led to shrinkage of her right lung and pushing the
heart to the left extreme of the chest cavity thereby causing
her difficulty, Dr Moosa Kunhi said.
The operative correction of these anomalies are difficult
one. These kind of problems are quite rare and only se in less
than 2 per cent of the people. If untreated, it can lead to
life threatening situations, he said.
Through an 8 hour long
operation through the chest and by stopping the function of
right lung temporarily, the surgery was performed successfully
and displaced organs, including the heart, was brought back to
their normal position.
Facilities and expertise are now available at Kochi to
tackle these kinds of rare diseases through very advanced
surgery, he said.
The operation is named after renowned surgeon, Dr
Morgagini who lived in Italy in 1761 AD.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, November 03, 2011, 16:31