10-day-old premature baby undergoes life-saving surgery at TMC

Doctors at Tripura Medical College (TMC) have successfully performed a rare and high-risk surgery on a 10-day-old premature baby suffering from a complex and life-threatening medical condition, hospital authorities said on Friday.

The baby girl, born to Jebin Begam and Jainul Haque of Irani police station area in Kailashahar, Unakoti district. She was delivered prematurely on December 25, 2025. 

According to doctors, the mother went into premature labour after the amniotic sac ruptured, and the child was born while she was being shifted to a hospital.
Soon after birth, the baby developed respiratory distress and was taken to a private hospital. She was later advised referral to GB Pant Hospital, Agartala, but instead the family took her to another private facility, where doctors detected gangrene in her right leg. 

The infant was subsequently taken to Silchar Medical College and Hospital, from where she was referred to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital due to her low weight. However, the family returned home and later consulted a local paediatrician, who advised them to approach senior surgeon Dr Aniruddha Basak.
On December 31, 2025, the baby was brought to Dr Basak and admitted to Tripura Medical College at just six days old, weighing around one kg. Dr Basak said the child was suffering from neonatal gangrene, a rare but severe condition.

“If immediate surgery was not performed, the infection could have spread throughout the body, severely affecting her chances of survival,” he said.
After comprehensive diagnostic tests, the baby underwent surgery on January 6, 2026. Doctors said operating on a 10-day-old underweight infant was extremely critical and challenging. During the procedure, a portion of the baby’s right leg had to be amputated, a procedure medically termed as Lisfranc amputation. 

Hospital authorities said the surgery was successful and the baby is currently under close medical observation at TMC.