Kolkata: In a remarkable medical achievement, doctors at Manipal Hospital EM Bypass and Mukundapur Cluster successfully saved the life of a 7-year-old boy from Purba Midnapur after he sustained a rare and life-threatening pancreatic injury. The case was managed under the leadership of Dr. Pradeepta Kumar Sethy, Director of Gastroenterology, who performed a highly complex ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) with ductal stenting, turning a near-fatal situation into a story of hope.
The child, Deep Adhikary (name changed), a Class I student from Kolaghat, was severely injured when a metallic bookshelf collapsed on his chest and abdomen. Initially admitted to a local hospital with suspected liver injury, he was later referred to Manipal Hospital Mukundapur where advanced diagnostics revealed a complete disruption of the pancreatic duct in addition to liver trauma – a condition both rare and difficult to treat.
Recognizing the seriousness, Dr. Sethy and his team opted for the minimally invasive yet technically demanding ERCP with stent placement, allowing pancreatic juices to drain properly into the intestine instead of leaking into the abdomen – a complication that could have led to infection, organ failure, or death.
Dr. Sethy explained, “Pancreatic duct disruption in children is exceedingly rare. Surgery can worsen the condition, while conservative care risks fatal complications. In this case, ERCP with stenting was the only viable option, and it gave the child the best chance of survival.”
The child was managed in the Pediatric ICU under the care of Dr. Saumen Meur (HOD & Senior Consultant – Paediatrics) and Dr. Monideepa Dutta (Consultant – Paediatrics). When his condition deteriorated with severe abdominal swelling, Dr. Partha Pratim Samui (Senior Consultant, Interventional Radiology) intervened with a pigtail catheter drainage, removing nearly 800 ml of fluid.
Further challenges included repeated feeding intolerance, for which Dr. Bhaswati Chakrabarti Acharyya (Senior Consultant – Paediatric Gastroenterology) introduced intravenous nutrition. After more than a month of critical care, the boy was discharged in stable condition. The ERCP stent was removed on August 4th, marking his steady recovery.
His father shared emotionally, “On May 1st, our lives turned upside down. Doctors at Manipal Hospital took full responsibility, and today my son is alive and safe. We can never thank them enough.”
The case underscores not only the rare success of ERCP in pediatric pancreatic trauma but also the strength of multidisciplinary care at Manipal Hospitals Kolkata, where gastroenterologists, pediatricians, intensivists, interventional radiologists, anesthesiologists, and pediatric gastroenterologists worked in seamless coordination.
This achievement reaffirms Manipal Hospital EM Bypass and Mukundapur Cluster as one of the region’s leading centers for advanced gastroenterology and pediatric critical care.
