Hyderabad: Private hospital docs treat 16YO for rare `Branchial Fistula'

Hyderabad: Doctors at a private hospital on Tuesday said that they have successfully treated a 16-year-old girl, who was suffering from Branchial Fistula since birth.

This defect remained undiscovered for more than 9 years. The victim underwent nearly 18 surgical attempts in the past decade.

Hailing from Palakollu, West Godavari district, the 16-year-old patient approached the doctors at SLG Hospitals with severe swelling in the neck, along with regular pus discharge from that region.

This complication started about 9 years back, and the victim underwent minor to major surgical procedures at least twice, each year. Each time the pus was cleared, and temporary relief was provided. However, the problem used to recur again after a few months. The patient also had difficulty swallowing food.

"This patient was presented with this rare problem, and after contrast CT scan and related examinations, we were able to identify the exact complication," said Dr. Bhargaw Ilapakurty, Consultant Head & Neck Cancer, Reconstructive & Laser Surgeon, SLG Hospitals.

The patient was operated upon to remove the whole tract, which was the abnormal connection, without damaging any other parts. "It was a complex procedure and required a multi-disciplinary approach to avoid any during and post-surgery complications. The surgical procedure was performed on November 27 and the feeding was started on the day of surgery. The patient was discharged on day-3 from the day of operation," Dr. Bhargaw added.

The patient did not just have harrowing experiences due to the problem, she also had to miss precious schooling time over the past many years. She is now able to swallow food and speak normally. She also started attending her school now, and will lead a regular life, without any worry of the complication ever recurring, doctors said.