28-Day-Old Baby Survives Extremely Rare Condition Despite 'Uncertain' Treatment

A 28-day-old baby in India has successfully recovered from an extremely rare condition after spending weeks in a hospital and undergoing treatment.

The doctors said the infant, identified only as Sain from the southern state of Kerala, had been diagnosed with congenital chylothorax, a rare condition in which chylous fluid — a milky peritoneal fluid that is rich in triglycerides — leaks from the thoracic duct, and gets collected on the right side of the chest, The Times of India reported.

Sain's mother Jesti had given birth to a healthy baby at a private hospital in the district of Kannur on Dec. 30, 2021, The Indian Express reported. However, days later, the baby developed breathing difficulties. Since the infant showed no signs of improvement despite treatment at a local hospital, Sain's father, Febin, approached Lisie Hospital in the city of Kochi.

The baby was brought to the hospital toward the end of January, where Dr. Tonny Mampilly, senior consultant in pediatrics and neonatology, conducted tests.

“The outcome of the treatment was uncertain, due to the extremely rare condition. There was no previous experience as well in treating this condition in such a young age group. Very few case reports of the procedures have been reported among newborns from the world over. As part of the treatment, breastfeeding was stopped and the baby was put on medium-chain fatty acids,” Mampilly reportedly said.

The procedure took place toward the second week of February. The infant was discharged from the hospital Saturday, following the treatment.

Earlier this week, reports surfaced a newborn baby underwent a complex ear nose throat (ENT) surgery at a hospital in Dubai to successfully treat a rare breathing disorder that occurs in one infant per 10,000 births. The 1-day-old was referred to Zulekha Hospital in Dubai after he was unable to breathe from his nose and was intubated. The baby was kept on a ventilator for respiratory support. A CT scan revealed part of the baby’s nose, which opened into the oral cavity, was closed on both sides by a bony plate. This anomaly is called "Bilateral Choanal Atresia," which is very rare.