Seven-year-old finds peaceful sleep after rare birth condition treated by NIMS doctors

Seven-year-old Koushal undergoes life-changing surgery for craniosynostosis, enabling him to sleep peacefully after three years.

Seven-year-old Koushal, who has been battling a rare medical condition called craniosynostosis, can now sleep peacefully for the first time in three years.

This condition, where the skull bones fuse prematurely, had caused an abnormal head shape and severe complications, including obstructive sleep apnea. Due to this, Koushal was unable to sleep in a supine position (sleeping position where one lies on the back with the face facing up).

As an infant, Koushal underwent surgery at a private hospital in Hyderabad, but inadequate midface growth led to his eyes protruding and dangerously low oxygen levels during sleep, sometimes plummeting to 50%. Relying on a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, Koushal underwent multiple soft tissue surgeries over three years, all to no avail.

Desperate for a solution, his parents approached the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad. There, they consulted Dr. R. Parvati from the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, who recommended a skeletal corrective surgery to enlarge Koushal’s airway and safeguard his vision. Dr. Parvati explained that the procedure required advanced technology and specialised expertise.

On January 7, Koushal underwent the transformative surgery with the assistance of Paediatric Plastic Surgeon Dr. David A. Staffenberg from New York University Langone. Dr. Staffenberg employed an advanced technique called internal distraction osteogenesis, which involves lengthening and repositioning facial bones, a method still in its nascent stages in India.

“Koushal was able to sleep without the CPAP machine on the very night of the surgery. Five days later, a distraction device was activated to gradually expand his facial bones by 1mm per day. The process is progressing smoothly, and Koushal will soon be discharged. The device will be removed once his airway has sufficiently expanded and his eyes are adequately supported,” said Dr Parvati.

The cost of this treatment at a private hospital would have ranged between ₹10 and ₹15 lakh. However, NIMS provided the procedure free of charge under the Aarogyasri scheme and the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF), said Dr. Bheerappa Nagari, Director of NIMS.