Pune: A seven-year-old child, diagnosed before birth with a rare congenital lung malformation, has successfully undergone a highly complex, minimally invasive surgery at a city hospital. The procedure became necessary after a severe infection turned the long-standing condition life-threatening.Doctors noted that such thoracoscopic paediatric lung resections are rarely performed in India due to the extreme precision and multidisciplinary expertise required.The child was prenatally diagnosed with congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM), a rare developmental abnormality where abnormal cystic tissue forms inside the lung. As the condition remained asymptomatic for years, it did not require immediate intervention and gradually faded into the background for the family.However, the situation turned critical in Dec 2025. The child developed a serious respiratory infection and was admitted to Jehangir Hospital with suspected pneumonia. Advanced imaging, including high-resolution CT scans, revealed a 6 cm cystic lesion in the upper lobe of the left lung. The malformation had become infected, posing a high risk of recurrent complications and endangering the child’s life.Following a detailed assessment by senior paediatric intensivist Dr Sagar Lad and his team, the medical board decided on a thoracoscopic lung resection.“The minimally invasive procedure involved making small openings in the chest wall and using a camera and specialised instruments, avoiding the need for a large chest incision,” said Dr. Dasmit Singh, the senior paediatric surgeon who led the operation. “This approach offers significant cosmetic and psychological benefits for children by minimising permanent scarring.”Dr Singh described the operation as technically demanding. “The affected portion of the lung was located dangerously close to the heart’s chambers and major blood vessels, requiring millimetre-by-millimetre precision. Additionally, the lung tissue was fused to surrounding structures due to previous infections, further increasing the complexity,” he said.The surgery also presented a major challenge for the anaesthesia team. “The child had to be ventilated using only one lung during the procedure, which requires expert management,” said Dr Sameer Bhosale, senior paediatric anaesthetist.Post-operative care in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) was equally vital. Under Dr Lad’s supervision, the team managed respiratory support and pain control to prevent complications. The child was recently weaned off ventilator support and made a full recovery. Hospital officials confirmed the patient is scheduled for discharge soon.
