One-Day-Old Newborn Cured of Rare Liver Vascular Malformation Through Minimally Invasive Pinhole Procedure

Jaipur : Doctors at Eternal Hospital have successfully saved the life of a one-day-old baby suffering from an exceptionally rare congenital liver condition called Congenital Hepatic Arteriovenous Malformation (HAVM). This marks the first successfully treated case in Rajasthan. Globally, this condition has been documented in only about 15–20 cases, and just 2–3 in India.

Dr. Anurag Gupta, the main Interventional Radiology expert, in the company of Obstetrician Dr. Richa Vaishnav, Paediatrician Dr. Rajkumar Goyal, Dr Hemant Chaturvedi and Dr Arif Hussain with other dedicated team members, have stitched this fabric of clinical success — a remarkable example of teamwork and coordinated care.

Early Diagnosis and NICU Care

The baby was diagnosed before birth, when an ultrasound at 32 weeks of pregnancy revealed an abnormal cluster of blood vessels in the liver. This caused blood to bypass normal liver circulation and flow directly to the heart, putting immense pressure on the baby’s heart and leading to heart failure.

Dr. Richa Vaishnav (Senior Consultant – Obstetrics & Gynaecology) identified the abnormality during prenatal screening and carefully monitored the fetal condition. With the heart showing signs of failure, she planned an early delivery to prevent complications.

After delivery, the baby was immediately admitted to the NICU under the care of Dr. Rajkumar Goyal (Senior Consultant- Paediatrics & Neonatology). A multidisciplinary team of Dr Arif Hussain and Dr Hemant Chaturvedi were closely monitoring the baby’s condition through serial 2D echocardiography and clinical assessments. As the baby’s condition did not improve due to the large AV malformation, the team decided to proceed with an intervention under Dr. Anurag Gupta (Consultant – Interventional Radiology), a leading expert in scarless, minimally invasive procedures.

Life-Saving Interventional Radiology Procedure

Using advanced interventional radiology, Dr. Anurag and his team inserted a thin catheter through a small artery in the baby’s thigh and guided it carefully up to the liver. Once they reached the abnormal blood vessel network — almost bigger than the size of the heart — they safely blocked about 70% of the abnormal vessels using medical-grade glue, which successfully resolved the heart failure. The remaining portion is expected to regress gradually with medications. This approach minimized procedural risks while ensuring a life-saving outcome.

Following the procedure, the baby was kept on a ventilator for a few days in the NICU and later weaned off to room air under intensive neonatal care.

“This was an extremely delicate procedure, as the baby’s arteries were thinner than a thread,” said Dr. Anurag Gupta. “Even the slightest error could have led to serious complications. However, precise planning, advanced technology, and strong team coordination ensured complete success.”

Recovery and Discharge

Dr. Rajkumar Goyal and his team continued to monitor the baby’s heart and liver functions in the NICU. Within a few days, the baby became stable on room air, started breastfeeding, and was discharged safely in good health.

A Milestone for Medical Excellence

Congenital Hepatic Arteriovenous Malformation is a very rare and complex disease. Without early detection and interventional radiology, outcomes are often fatal. This success reflects Eternal Hospital’s multidisciplinary approach, where doctors from different specialties collaborate seamlessly to treat complex and life-threatening conditions.

Mrs. Manju Sharma (Co-Chairperson) and Dr. Pracheesh Prakash (CEO) congratulated the entire team, saying, “This achievement demonstrates Eternal Hospital’s commitment to world-class technology, expert doctors, and compassionate neonatal care.”