Dad and daughter with shared condition undergo life-saving surgery 35 years apart | News

Dad and daughter with shared condition undergo life-saving surgery 35 years apart

A father and daughter from Birmingham born with the same rare condition born 35 years apart have both undergone life-saving surgery at our Children’s Hospital. Surgical teams in the 80s and today used differing but pioneering techniques that show the incredible progress that continues to be made within the NHS.

In 1985, Richard Franklin was born without part of his/their oesophagus – the pipe that connects the mouth to the stomach. The incredibly rare condition called trachea-oesophageal fistula with oesophageal atresia (TOFOA) means that babies cannot even swallow their own saliva, let alone feed by mouth.

Both Richard and his brother needed emergency surgery at our Birmingham Children’s Hospital, which at the time involved the latest technology of anaesthetics, intensive care and surgery. Their treatment involved an open thoracotomy, opening up the chest by cutting between the ribs to repair the oesophagus.

Although it was life-saving it meant they were both left with a large scar across the torso. They also needed regular dilatations where a balloon is placed in the oesophagus under general anaesthetic and inflated to stretch the scar tissue.

Richard, a bus driver from Longbridge, said: “After the procedure I needed numerous dilations growing up as well as additional surgeries. We were told at the time not only how rare this condition was but how rare it was for myself and my brother to survive.”

Fast forward to November and Richard’s daughter, Robyn, was born with the same tracheoesophageal fistula and, once again, emergency surgery was required soon after her birth performed by our team of experts at the Children’s Hospital, however, a pioneering new technique using state-of-the-art thoracoscopic equipment - also known as keyhole surgery in the chest – was used.

This means our surgeons were able to rebuild Robyn’s oesophagus by operating in a space around the size of a matchbox between the heart and lungs using tiny instruments just 3mm in size. Importantly, this means babies usually recover faster, feed quicker and are not left with major scarring. Robyn was able to feed by mouth after just 12 days.

The operation took six hours and required a team of surgeons, anaesthetists, and theatre practitioners as well as support from the neonatal unit, intensive care and nurses on the neonatal surgical wards. Over the 12 days Robyn spent in hospital around 50 doctors, nurses are professionals were directly involved in her care.

Mum, Hannah Franklin, said: “I always knew there was a chance Robyn may have a similar condition to Richard so when we found out a few hours after she was born, we were obviously shocked but in a way, we had almost prepared ourselves.

“She was quickly transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital with Richard by her side while I recovered. The care she has received has just been amazing.”

Dad, Richard, added: “Having gone through all this growing up I had this guilt and responsibility, it was traumatising not just for me but for my parents to also relive it. However, this new technique has been life-changing for Robyn.

“The surgical team and the nurses on the Neonatal Surgical Ward who cared for Robyn were absolutely incredible. It has been quite the whirlwind with how quickly she has recovered and been able to come home.”

Mr Suren Arul, the Consultant Paediatric Surgeon who along with Mr Giampiero Sccorso led the team for Robyn’s procedure at the Children’s Hospital, said:

“Over the last 35 years doctors around the world have striven to improve the outcomes of surgery on these tiny babies this rare condition – we only see around two or three each year. We’re grateful to have the latest technology at our fingertips to provide the best care to our patients. To know Robyn can grow up normally having had such major surgery, but with no scars, is a wonderful thing.

“Though father and daughter had very different operations, the quality of care and the attention to detail the doctors and nurses of Birmingham Children’s Hospital have provided has not changed.

“We are lucky to have an NHS that means that everyone, however small, has the same access to the very best technology. Something that continues here despite the challenges we currently face.”

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