Odisha’s SUMUM achieves medical feat with successful treatment of preterm baby

Bhubaneswar, April 25: In an extraordinary medical achievement, doctors at SUM Ultimate Medicare (SUMUM) in Bhubaneswar have successfully treated a preterm baby weighing 1520 grams, born with complex congenital conditions. The infant, born at 33 weeks, was diagnosed with Pierre Robin Sequence, a rare condition that affects 1 in 14,000 live births.

The baby was born with an underdeveloped lower jaw, causing the tongue to shift downward and obstruct the upper airway, a life-threatening condition. Additionally, a cleft palate further complicated both breathing and feeding. Due to the baby’s unusually small mouth, traditional intubation methods were not feasible.

In a groundbreaking move, doctors performed a delicate tracheotomy by creating a small airway through an incision in the neck to help the baby breathe. Lead surgeon Dr. Radhamadhab Sahu, Senior Consultant in ENT and Skull Base Surgery, explained that a rare tracheal splitting technique was used to insert the smallest available tracheotomy tube—a 2.5 mm tube—making it a first-of-its-kind procedure in Odisha.

After a difficult stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the baby responded well to intensive care and advanced ventilation techniques. Now, three and a half months old, the infant is breathing independently and gaining weight.

Dr. Pradeep Kumar Dey, head of Pediatrics & Neonatology at SUMUM, praised the hospital's multidisciplinary team for their collaboration, calling the case both a medical and emotional challenge. This successful treatment highlights SUMUM’s growing reputation as a center of excellence for high-risk neonatal care in eastern India.