Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 14 August 2023
In a remarkable medical feat, a team of dedicated surgeons and anesthetists at G.B. Pant Hospital/ANIIMS performed an emergency laparoscopic splenectomy on a seven-year-old male child, rescuing him from a life-threatening splenic abscess. The child had been admitted to the children’s ward with severe symptoms of high-grade fever, chills, abdominal pain, and an enlarged spleen.
Upon admission, the child’s condition was unstable, marked by septic shock. The initial management was carried out by pediatric intensivists in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), successfully stabilizing the child’s critical state. However, further clinical examination revealed abdominal distension and an enlarged spleen, necessitating expert intervention from the Surgical Department.
Under the leadership of Dr. Saji Vargheese and Dr. Saras Sahoo, a team of skilled surgeons and anesthetists meticulously evaluated the child’s condition. Blood investigations, abdominal ultrasonography (USG), and a contrast CT scan unveiled a distressing diagnosis: the child was suffering from a large splenic abscess compounded by hemolytic anemia, specifically sickle cell anemia.
The gravity of the situation was accentuated by the child’s unresponsiveness to high-dose antibiotics and persistent high-grade fever accompanied by chills and rigor. With the entire spleen engulfed in pus, the medical team made the critical decision to perform an emergency splenectomy to remove the abscess.
In an astounding display of medical expertise, the surgeons embarked on a laparoscopic splenectomy on August 3, 2023. Utilising just five keyhole incisions of 10mm and 5mm each, the surgical procedure lasted approximately three hours. Following the successful surgery, the child was transferred to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he made a swift and remarkable recovery.
Notably, the child’s recurrent episodes of fever, chills, and rigor subsided entirely post-surgery, allowing for his discharge from the hospital.
This exceptional case shines a spotlight on the prowess of the medical team at G.B. Pant Hospital/ANIIMS, who demonstrated their capabilities by opting for a minimally invasive approach for a complex emergency splenic procedure. Traditionally, major splenic surgeries are performed through open methods, but the team’s remarkable skill and the availability of expertise facilitated the use of laparoscopic techniques, significantly reducing the invasiveness of the procedure.
The successful outcome of this surgery not only reflects the proficiency of the medical team but also underscores the hospital’s commitment to embracing advanced medical technologies and techniques to provide the best possible care to its patients. This accomplishment serves as a beacon of hope for patients facing similarly critical conditions, offering a testament to the strides being made in the field of medical science and surgery.