While neonatal hernias are relatively common in preterm babies, Amyand’s hernia is exceptionally rare. It affects only about 0.42% of these infants.
The boy, born at just 28 weeks, underwent surgery on the 23rd day after his birth while under general anesthesia.
Chennai, 12 September 2024: SRM Global Hospitals successfully performed a complex, three-part emergency surgery to save the life of a critically premature baby boy with Amyand’s hernia, a rare condition where the appendix is located in the groin—only the fourth case of its kind in medical history in the world.
The boy, born at just 28 weeks, underwent surgery on the 23rd day after his birth while under general anesthesia. The procedure was successful, and post-operatively, the child recovered well, gaining weight to reach 2.06 kg and was discharged in good general condition.
It was a highly challenging surgery as the boy, like any other premature baby, had an immature airway that made anesthesia more difficult and required precise management. Furthermore, the delicate tissues required careful surgical handling to avoid damage. Additionally, the low birth weight of the infant necessitated specialized postoperative care in the NICU to ensure proper recovery and support.
The three parts of the surgery were: inguinal exploration, performed to examine and assess the groin area; appendectomy, to remove the appendix; and herniotomy, to repair the hernia by removing the hernia sac and fixing the defect in the abdominal wall. The entire procedure lasted for an hour. The pediatric surgery team, led by Dr. M. Saravana Balaji and Dr. N. Prathiba, carried out the procedure with the assistance of the anesthesia team, including Dr. K. Anand and Dr. Dheepak Kumaran, along with NICU doctors Dr. S. Subash and Dr. Ashok C.
Commenting on the surgical feat, Dr. P. Sathyanarayanan, President, SRM Global Hospitals, said, “Successfully treating this critically premature baby with Amyand’s hernia—something seen only three times worldwide—highlights our team’s expertise. This complex surgery was a big challenge, but our skilled surgeons, anesthesia team, and NICU specialists handled it with incredible care. This case shows our hospital’s ability to tackle even the rarest conditions and set new standards in medical care.”
In his comments, Dr. Saravana Balaji said, “The newborn had been in the Neonatal ICU since birth. The baby developed obstructed right inguinoscrotal swelling on the 23rd day. We had to do emergency surgery, as the condition was life-threatening. While neonatal hernias are relatively common in preterm babies, Amyand’s hernia is exceptionally rare. It affects only about 0.42% of these infants. Even rarer is the perforated appendix, occurring in just 0.1% of Amyand’s hernia cases. To date, only three such cases have been reported globally. Our prompt intervention was crucial in addressing this complex and rare condition.”
The baby is doing well and steadily gaining weight under the care of his parents, Manju, a housewife, and Moorthy, a daily wage laborer—both from Chengalpattu.
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