Doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi have successfully carried out a rare lung-sparing surgery on a four-month-old baby born with a congenital lung defect affecting both lungs.

The complex minimally invasive procedure not only saved precious healthy lung tissue but also helped the infant recover remarkably fast, with discharge from the hospital just two days after surgery.

The baby had been diagnosed before birth with Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation (CPAM), a rare condition in which part of the lung develops abnormally inside the womb, leaving cyst-like tissue that cannot function normally. While the condition usually affects one lung, doctors found abnormalities in both lungs, making this case particularly challenging.

Instead of removing an entire lobe of the lung, the AIIMS team decided to preserve as much healthy lung tissue as possible. They performed a highly specialised segmentectomy, removing only the diseased portion of the right lung. The operation involved removing segments 9 and 10 of the lower lobe—considered among the most difficult areas of the lung to access because the blood vessels and airways lie deep within the tissue.

The surgery was led by Professor Dr. Vishesh Jain from the Department of Paediatric Surgery, while the anaesthesia team, led by Dr. Abhishek, successfully managed selective lung ventilation—a demanding technique that allows surgeons to operate on one lung while the other continues to support breathing. Achieving this in a four-month-old infant is considered exceptionally difficult.

Speaking about the case, Dr. Vishesh Jain said, "Our biggest priority was to preserve as much healthy lung as possible because the disease involved both lungs. Removing only the affected segments instead of an entire lobe gives the child a better chance of normal lung growth and good respiratory function in the future. Such procedures demand meticulous surgical planning, close coordination with the anaesthesia team and advanced paediatric surgical expertise. We are happy that the baby recovered well and could go home within just two days."

Dr. Sandeep Agarwala, Head of the Department of Paediatric Surgery at AIIMS, said that removing segments 9 and 10 through keyhole surgery in such a young infant is among the most technically demanding procedures in paediatric thoracic surgery. He credited the success to teamwork and the specialised infrastructure available at AIIMS.

The surgery was completed without any complications, and the child remained stable throughout the recovery period.

Doctors said this operation is only the first stage of treatment, as the congenital malformation also affects the left lung. A second surgery is planned in the coming months after the baby gains more strength and recovers fully from the first procedure.

The successful outcome highlights how advances in paediatric surgery now allow surgeons to preserve healthy lung tissue even in very young infants, offering children with complex congenital lung disorders a better chance at normal lung development and long-term qualit

y of life.