Conference of paediatricians on treating children with airway disorders gets under way

A three-day Chennai Paediatric Airway Congress is under way at Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital (KKCTH). Doctors from various paediatric specialities involved in treating airway disorders in children are taking part in the conference.

A three-day “Chennai Paediatric Airway Congress” is under way at Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital (KKCTH). Doctors from various paediatric specialities involved in treating airway disorders in children are taking part in the conference.

Member of Legislative Assembly and Member of State Planning Commission Ezhilan Naganathan inaugurated the conference, which was organised by the Chennai Airway Team, on Friday.

According to a press release, paediatric airway surgery is a relatively new speciality. It has evolved globally over the last 40 to 50 years. It addresses children with compromised airways. Problems in the paediatric airway are rare and may arise in the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi. Children present with respiratory distress, noisy breathing, sleep disturbance, hoarseness, episodes of apnoea, feeding difficulty or swallowing issues.

A study conducted among patients visiting KKCTH found that one in 1,000 patients has an airway complaint. Paediatric airway disorders may be present from birth or may be acquired later. They are missed or wrongly diagnosed owing to the rare nature of these diseases. In many instances, the child may require a tracheostomy to bide time before a definitive major surgery.

The Chennai Airway Team headed by S. Thirunavukkarasu, paediatric ENT surgeon, is organising the conference. Experts from India, the U.S., U.K., Australia and South Africa will conduct scientific sessions over the three days. There will be talks, panel discussions, live endoscopic surgery and hands-on dissection courses. ENT surgeons, paediatric anaesthetists, paediatric intensivists, gastroenterologists, cardiac surgeons and student trainees are participating.

“There are many children living with tracheostomy without awareness about reconstructive surgeries and possibility of tracheostomy tube removal. At this juncture, we need to create awareness among the medical fraternity and general public. At this airway congress, we aim to share the knowledge accrued from around the world over the last few decades,” Dr. Thirunavukkarasu said.

By the end of the conference, they aim that participants acquire knowledge required to treat this challenging subset of patients, and thereby help lessen the burden on the family and society, he added.