Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, June 3: In a significant medical breakthrough for the region, Yenepoya Medical College Hospital has successfully performed Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) on a child for the first time in Dakshina Kannada district, marking a milestone in paediatric kidney care.
The case involved a three-year-old boy who was admitted in April with anuria —a complete absence of urine output — for ten days. The child was critically ill, presenting with complications from acute renal failure, including altered sensorium, breathing difficulty, anemia, and metabolic acidosis.
A multidisciplinary team at Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, led by Dr Santhosh Pai, head of the department of Nephrology, and supported by Dr Adithya Mishra, Dr Haissam, and Dr Preema from the Nephrology team, collaborated with the Paediatrics department headed by Dr Sahana K S, along with Dr Shyam Sudhir, Dr Mithun H K, and Dr Asha, to assess and treat the patient.
The team promptly initiated peritoneal dialysis — a form of dialysis performed through the abdomen. Paediatric surgeon Dr Suhith successfully inserted the initial dialysis catheter. Over the next 12 days, the child remained anuric and faced persistent, hard-to-control electrolyte imbalances, but gradual improvement in kidney function was observed.
On the 13th day, as urine output remained low and the need for dialysis continued, the team made a critical decision to initiate CAPD. A tunneled soft Tenckhoff catheter was surgically inserted into the abdomen —a procedure never before performed on a child in the district.
Over the next two weeks, the child's condition steadily improved. Urine output increased, and renal function normalised. After a month of intensive care and monitoring, the CAPD catheter was safely removed, and the child was discharged in good health with restored kidney function.
The child’s parents expressed deep gratitude to the medical team for their dedicated and compassionate care. Dr Habib Rehaman A A, medical superintendent of Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, congratulated the team for handling such a rare and complex paediatric case and for pioneering the use of CAPD in children in the region.
This achievement is a reflection of the vision of Dr Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi, chancellor, and Mohammed Farhaad Yenepoya, pro-chancellor of Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), to ensure advanced and affordable kidney care for children.