8mo-old baby saved after sustaining complex head injury

By Health In Five Writer

A ghastly accident changed the life of the Mehra family (name changed) as their 8-month-old daughter was severely injured and spent over 2 weeks on a ventilator, and a month at Wockhardt Hospital, Mira Road. The baby was in the front seat with her father after a bike dashed against the car, and the airbags opened. The baby is discharged now and is recovering well.

Dr. Ankit Gupta Lead Paediatric Critical care specialist, Wockhardt Hospital Mira Road said, “This baby was in the front seat with her father after A bike dashed against the car, and the airbags opened. The active airbags inflated and the baby was caught between the airbags and the grandfather’s head. She sustained a complex head injury and came in an emergency. She was comatose on presentation and had a depressed skull fracture and the fragments of the fracture were pressing against the brain. Few fragments had torn the important veins in the brain. This led to increased hemorrhage which was dangerously compressing the vital centers of the brain making it extremely life-threatening. After stabilizing her and counselling the family, the baby underwent an emergency craniotomy. After 2 hours of surgery, the girl was in the ICU and on the ventilator for 2 weeks, she had a stormy post operation course.”

Dr. Vinod Rambal, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Wockhardt Hospital Mira Road said, “A craniotomy is a surgery to cut a bony opening in the skull. A section of the skull known as a bone flap will be taken out to be able to access the brain underneath and remove the hematomas that are blood clots from the left side of the brain before it causes damage. Then, the bone flap was closed.”

Dr. Dipesh Pimpale, Consultant Neurologist, Wockhardt Hospital Mira Road added, “The Child developed refractory seizures and raised intracranial pressure treating the same was very challenging. At the time of discharge, the baby is active, playful , and tolerating feeds and recognizing her parents. Currently with anti-seizure medicines and physiotherapy she is improving and gaining her milestones. Her recovery is promising and she will require follow-up till she is 4 to 5 years to look for brain and body development.”