Infant survives a rare, life-threatening condition

Biliary atresia is rare and only affects about one in every 18,000 infants, according to the US-based National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This life-threatening condition affects the liver and bile ducts in infants.

Bile is a digestive liquid that is produced in the liver. It moves through the bile ducts to the small intestine, where it helps digest fats and absorb fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. It also carries waste products and toxins out of the body. In infants with biliary atresia, the bile ducts become inflamed and blocked soon after birth. This causes bile to collect in the liver, where it starts to destroy liver cells rapidly, ultimately causing scarring of the liver.

The surgeons at Burjeel Hospital encountered a complex case of biliary atresia, involving a five-month old infant, Baby Muhammad Ibrahim Kiani.

 “Baby Muhammad was brought to us with a case of neglected biliary atresia, presenting a scarred liver and jaundice. Infants in such a condition need a liver transplant, especially if they are not medically operated within the first 40 days after birth. Chances of successful outcome from surgery and survival lower as the infant gets older,” said Prof. Dr. Amin El-Gohary, Consultant – Pediatric Surgery, at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi.  Prof. Dr. Amin El-Gohary and his team successfully performed a portoenterostomy (also called the Kasai method) on the infant. The procedure is meant to re-establish the bile flow from the liver to the intestine. During the surgery, Dr. El-Gohary removed the damaged ducts outside the liver, identifying smaller ducts that were still open and draining bile.  A loop of intestine was then attached to this portion of the liver, so that bile could flow directly from the remaining healthy bile ducts to the intestine. This is the first time that such a surgery has been done in a private hospital in the UAE, as the procedure is available only in highly-specialized medical facilities.

“What is special about this case is not the complex surgery but the remarkable improvement of the jaundice after surgery. This is rarely achieved on neglected cases of biliary atresia.  The baby is now passing normal colored stool and the scarred, enlarged liver has significantly reduced in size,” said Dr. El-Gohary.

The infant’s parents, Muhammad Adeel Riaz and Aysha Touqeer Ahmed Kayani, expressed their deep gratitude to Dr. El-Gohary and his medical team at Burjeel for the hard work and passion exerted to help Baby Muhammad survive such life-threatening condition.

Mr. Clancey Po, CEO of Burjeel Hospital, said, “Burjeel Hospital’s first and foremost priority is the well-being of the community. We are very proud that such a complex surgery was undertaken successfully. Saving a little child’s life and ensuring a healthier future for him was an important commitment for us.  Everyday, we drive ourselves to deliver the best possible healthcare to the residents of Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and the region.  We look beyond medical excellence.  We provide compassionate, personalized care to every patient.”