{
  "id": 17814957,
  "title": "Mumbai Medical Breakthrough: Wadia Hospital Repairs Rare Voice Box Defect In 6-Month-Old Without Open Neck Surgery",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/mumbai-medical-breakthrough-wadia-hospital-repairs-rare-voice-box",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-11-02T15:06:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-medical-breakthrough-wadia-hospital-repairs-rare-voice-box-defect-in-6-month-old-without-open-neck-surgery"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mumbai's Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children achieved a medical breakthrough with the successful repair of a rare voice box defect in a six-month-old boy, Aarav Tiwari, without requiring open neck surgery. The infant's condition was caused by a Type 3 laryngeal cleft, an uncommon birth defect wherein an abnormal opening exists between the food pipe and the voice box, leading to milk entering the windpipe during feeding and resulting in severe pneumonia.\n\nUpon admission at around four months old, Aarav exhibited a severe case of pneumonia and an unusually hoarse cry. To prevent milk from entering his airway, he was initially fed through a nasogastric tube. Specialists at the hospital then conducted endoscopic keyhole surgery on October 10, led by Dr Balagopal Kurup, Consultant ENT Surgeon. Utilizing a camera and specialized instruments inserted through the mouth, the team was able to repair the defect endoscopically, avoiding the need for traditional neck surgery, tracheostomy, or cartilage transplantation from the chest wall.\n\nDr Kurup highlighted the rarity of laryngeal clefts, occurring in one in 10,000 to 20,000 births, with Type 3 clefts being even more infrequent. He praised the successful minimally invasive procedure, which was particularly challenging as it was performed while the baby continued breathing without the use of an endotracheal tube. The surgery required meticulous coordination between the ENT and pediatric anesthesia teams.\n\nFollowing the surgery, Aarav spent one day in the intensive care unit before being transferred to the ward. He resumed breastfeeding without coughing and was discharged within a week. Hospital officials emphasized the importance of specialized pediatric care for children suffering from rare conditions, advising parents to seek consultation from pediatric pulmonologists or ENT specialists if their children experience repeated pneumonia, persistent coughing during feeds, or unexplained breathing difficulties.",
  "summary": "Mumbai, November 2, 2026: A six-month-old boy from Kalyan, who suffered severe pneumonia because milk was entering his lungs during feeding, has undergone a rare airway surgery at Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children. Doctors repaired the congenital defect through a minimally invasive procedure performed entirely through the mouth, helping him avoid open neck surgery and a tracheostomy. Aarav…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}