Gandhi Hospital Doctors Restore Breathing In 20-Year-Old After Complex Airway Surgery
Gandhi Hospital doctors in Hyderabad restored a 20-year-old man’s breathing through complex windpipe reconstruction after 90–95 per cent airway blockage, free of cost.
Doctors at Gandhi Hospital said they had restored a 20-year-old man’s ability to breathe normally after six years, by successfully performed a complex airway reconstruction surgery on his windpipe that was 90 to 95 per cent.
The patient underwent the surgery on September 30, during which doctors removed a 4-cm section of the narrowed windpipe and joined the two remaining ends with sutures. He has recovered and was being discharged without breathing difficulty or wheezing. The procedure was performed free of cost said Gandhi Hospital doctors.
The procedure was carried out by cardiothoracic surgeons Dr G. Ravindra, Dr Padmalatha and Dr Rajashekar, along with ENT specialists Dr Nagaraju and Dr Ramji, and anaesthesiologists Dr Muralidhar and Dr Sucharitha.
The patient’s problems began in 2018 when he consumed pesticide and required ventilator support at a private hospital. During treatment, an opening was made in his windpipe to facilitate breathing. He was later referred to an ENT hospital because of breathing difficulties.
Doctors at the ENT Hospital at Koti attempted to close the opening in 2018 but could not do so because the airway had narrowed. Between 2019 and 2022, he underwent seven dilatation procedures to widen the airway, but they did not provide lasting relief. A ‘Montgomery tube’ was inserted in July 2022 to maintain the airway.
Four years later, the tube was removed after an evaluation at the Koti hospital. However, his breathing difficulties returned and worsened over the next three months, accompanied by wheezing. Doctors advised another opening in the windpipe.
The patient then approached a private hospital, where the surgery was estimated to cost ₹7 lakh to ₹8 lakh. After learning about the treatment available at Gandhi Hospital through an ENT specialist, he sought treatment there.
Examinations at Gandhi Hospital revealed that 90 to 95 per cent of his windpipe was blocked, severely restricting airflow to his lungs. Doctors decided to perform emergency surgery.
