In an exceptional and fortunate case, the infant’s genetic compatibility (HLA) match withthe mother proved to be a lifesaver -Five-month-old Baby Triumphs Over Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency: A rare condition withan incidence of 1 per million live births
Bangalore, November 30, 2023: A remarkable medical journey unfolded at Aster CMI Hospitalwhen a 5-month-old infant weighing less than 5 kg was treated for a rare congenital immune disorderLeukocyte Adhesion Deficiency (LAD). The infant’s early days were marred by recurrent severeinfections reminiscent of the tragic loss of her elder brother to a similar infection during infancy. Dueto low immunity and being underweight, her condition started deteriorating when she was 2 monthsold, which was when comprehensive immunological and genetic testing confirmed LAD, a rareacondition with an incidence of 1 per million live births.
LAD is a rare genetic disease that causes severe immunodeficiency which prevents the body’s immunesystem from normal functioning. This makes children with LAD very susceptible to infections, whichcan be fatal. This life-threatening disorder often goes undetected which emphasizes the importanceof early detection and intervention. The only curative treatment for LAD is Bone MarrowTransplantation (BMT) from a healthy donor. Fortunately, the mother emerged as a beacon of hopeas she was human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatible with the baby. Despite the inherentcomplications, doctors decided to go ahead with the BMT. Thus, it paved the way for the mother togive birth to her child twice.
Commenting on the transplantation procedure Dr. Anoop P, Sr. Consultant – Haematology,Paediatric Haemato-Oncology & BMT, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore said, “Due to thecomplications involved, most treatment centers even in affluent countries may prefer to perform BMTafter a baby weighs at least 10 kgs and is completely free of active infection. In this baby’s case, thiswas clearly not an option as she would have succumbed to the disease. Our team chose to proceedawith transplantation regardless of the baby’s age or weight, since it was the only hope for her survival.The procedure was challenging, however, our team went ahead with transplantation with cautiousoptimism. We are delighted that the procedure was successful, the infant is now recovering well, herimmune system is healthy, and she is expected to lead a normal life.”
The BMT was conducted along with the team of experts comprising of Paediatric Haemato-Oncology& BMT, Senior Consultants, Dr. Stalin Ramprakash & Dr. Raghuram CP, and Dr. Sagar Bhattad,Consultant – Pediatric Immunology & Rheumatology, who played a crucial role in the early diagnosisof this disease and saved the baby’s life.
“We would like to extend our gratitude towards all the doctors for their care throughout our child’sLAD transplant journey. Your expertise, compassion, and belief in our child’s strength guided usthrough the most challenging times. We are grateful for the kindness extended beyond the medicalrealm, easing our financial burden and allowing us to focus on our child’s recovery. Today, as our childembraces a new chapter of life, we are forever indebted for your extraordinary care. Thank you forthe gift of life, stated Mr. Bandesha, baby’s father”
Mr. Ramesh Kumar S, CEO – Aster Hospitals, Bangalore, said: “We are proud of our doctorswho could successfully conduct this complex treatment on a 5-month-old infant. Patients can lead anhealthy and normal life if BMT is done on time. The treatment demanded a high level of expertiseand sophisticated technology, which our team of dedicated medical professionals and the hospital’sadvanced resources provided, enabling us to achieve a successful outcome.”
Aster Hospitals stays committed to providing unparalleled medical services to its patients which isstrengthened by high-end innovative technology and qualified medical practitioners.
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