Mumbai: Inspiring medical miracles you should know about this week

At a time when Covid is on the rise again, almost five years after it first shook the world, it is important to find hope in daily medical miracles that are occurring around us.

While they are happening around India, there are some that are happening within Mumbai, and definitely offer a ray of hope to all those suffering from illnesses, and even their families, as they navigate lives around them.

A 20-year-old boy regains ability to eat, breathe, and swallow after two years
A team of expert doctors in Mumbai, including Dr Roy Patankar, city-based gastroenterologist, GI, and robotic surgeon at Zen Multi Specialty Hospital, along with Dr Tanveer Majid, onco surgeon, Dr Pramod Kale, chief anaesthetist, and Dr Vikas Nair, anaesthetist, successfully restored a 20-year-old boy’s ability to eat, swallow, and breathe after a devastating accident left him struggling for two years. 

Despite multiple failed treatments and severe complications, his condition worsened until life-saving surgeries gave him a second chance. Now, he is on the path to recovery.
 
In December 2022, Tauhid Khan, an 18-year-old resident of the Mahal area on the outskirts of Nagpur, met with a tragic accident when he was riding his bike. A truck carrying bamboo was ahead of him, and as it took an unexpected turn, a bamboo stick dislodged and pierced his neck. The impact caused significant damage, puncturing his esophagus (food pipe). He was initially treated in Nagpur, but complications arose when he developed an infection known as empyema in his right lung. To address the infection, doctors performed lung surgery and attempted to close the hole in his esophagus. While the food pipe was repaired, the procedure did not relieve him. An endoscopic stent was later placed to prevent leakage, but this, too, was unsuccessful. 
 
To his dismay, a critical complication emerged due to an abnormal connection formed between his food pipe and windpipe. As a result, every time he swallowed, his saliva would leak into his windpipe and reach his lungs, causing relentless coughing and breathlessness. Despite undergoing lung decortication and having a chest tube placed, his condition continued to worsen, leaving him in urgent need of further medical intervention.
 
For a year in 2023, Tauhid had to rely on a spittoon (a plastic cup) to remove saliva from his mouth, as he couldn’t swallow even that. He visited multiple hospitals, even in Mumbai, but none could provide him relief. His family watched in despair as his future seemed uncertain, but they refused to lose hope. His family decided to visit Zen Hospital six months ago, in October 2024. By the time he arrived at the hospital, Tauhid’s condition had severely deteriorated. He had lost weight, dropping from 60 kg to just 33 kg. He was battling a severe sepsis infection that had spread throughout his body, his lung function was critically poor, and he had been struggling with breathlessness for two years and was barely able to walk 10 metres. Unable to swallow food or even his saliva, he had to carry a bag to spit out sputum due to his worsening lung infection.

Dr Roy said, “Upon examination, a repeat OGDscopy confirmed the presence of a persistent tracheoesophageal fistula, an abnormal connection between the food pipe and the windpipe, explaining his ongoing suffering and deteriorating health. A feeding tube was placed in his small intestine to help improve his nutrition. Over the next six months, his health gradually stabilised, and once his nutrition improved, he was scheduled for surgery in March 2025. Since he was unable to consume anything by mouth, a minor surgery known as a feeding jejunostomy was done by placing a feeding tube in his small intestine. This tube, inserted into the proximal jejunum (middle part of the small intestine), allowed him to receive proper nutrition and medications. Over six months, his condition improved, his weight increased from 33 kg to 40 kg, and he became strong enough for surgery scheduled in March 2025.”

He further added, “Two weeks ago, he underwent a complex, eight-hour surgery to repair the hole in both his windpipe (trachea) and food pipe (esophagus). Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is a critical condition where an abnormal connection between the two esophagus causes food, water, and even saliva to leak into the trachea and lungs, leading to severe complications. The surgical team meticulously closed the openings in both the trachea and esophagus. A large neck muscle called the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) was carefully detached and placed between the food pipe and windpipe. This muscle, with its own blood supply, acted as a protective barrier to prevent future infections, a technique known as a muscular flap procedure. All major blood vessels in the neck were preserved, making it a highly intricate operation. The uneventful surgery lasted eight hours, and Tauhid was kept on a ventilator for five days before stabilizing. He is discharged now and is able to swallow food orally. He will start gaining weight in the coming months. Soon, the feeding tube in his intestine will also be removed, and he can eat solid food.  The life-saving surgery was performed free of cost. Without timely surgical intervention, his condition would have been fatal, and he would have lost his precious life.”

Dr Tanveer shares, “This case is a testament to the human spirit`s ability to persevere in the face of adversity. We are privileged to have played a role in this young man`s journey, and we hope his story inspires others never to give up hope.”

“He would cry because he couldn’t eat, and it was heartbreaking to watch him struggle. We felt helpless and tense throughout his ordeal. At one point, he was even refused surgery because of his low weight, and our entire family was devastated. But today, seeing him get a new lease on life is the greatest happiness we could ever experience. Dr Roy and his team gave us this gift by saving my son’s life. After two years of unimaginable struggle, he is finally recovering and is now on liquid foods,” said his father,” said Naseem Khan, Tauhid’s father, who is a daily wage worker.
 
“After the accident in December 2022, my exams were scheduled for February 2023, but I couldn’t appear for them, even though I desperately wanted to. I was on the verge of giving up, but the doctors at Zen Hospital refused to let that happen as they fought for me. I am eternally grateful to them. Now, I can walk, speak properly, and I no longer feel weak. It feels like I have been given a new life. For so long, I was stuck at home, unable to go out, play with friends, or enjoy life. I am eager to switch from a liquid to a solid diet and eat my favorite foods.  I am also excited to start college, meet my friends again, and finally move forward,” concluded Tauhid.

After 10 years, young man with Becker muscular dystrophy regains ability to walk
A team led by Dr Pradeep Mahajan, regenerative medicine researcher and founder of StemRx Hospital & Research Centre in Navi Mumbai, has given a fresh lease of life to a 25-year-old man from Mahad in Maharashtra`s Raigad. He had been struggling with Becker Muscular Dystrophy for 10 years due to which he wasn`t able to walk with confidence, balance without fear, and even dance, something he thought he’d lost forever. Now, he has resumed his daily routine without any difficulty.

Yash Sharad Shaikh was once a lively teenager, full of laughter and dreams. But at the age of 15, he started feeling something wasn’t right. His legs felt heavy, like they couldn’t keep up with him. At first, he brushed it off, thinking he was just tired. However, the weakness didn’t go away. He began falling more frequently, found it hard to walk in a straight line, and felt his balance steadily declining. By the time doctors diagnosed him with Becker Muscular Dystrophy, the condition had already taken a toll. By his mid-20s, everyday tasks like standing up, walking a few steps, or sitting comfortably were a challenge. His spine started to curve, his calf muscles grew unusually large from the way his body was compensating, and keeping his posture steady felt nearly impossible, and that`s when the patient and family approached Dr Pradeep.

Dr Pradeep said, “Muscular Dystrophy is like a team missing its captain; without guidance, the muscles can’t function properly. Your muscles need a protein called dystrophin to stay strong and work properly. When your body doesn’t produce enough of it, usually due to a faulty gene, often linked to the X chromosome, your muscles gradually get weaker. It’s like building a house with damaged bricks; eventually, the structure starts to fall apart. People with Muscular Dystrophy might fall a lot, struggle to climb stairs, or find their legs and arms getting weaker. Some types can even affect the heart and lungs, difficulty swallowing, and a shortened life expectancy.”

He added, “We created a plan just for him, combining therapies to help his muscles recover. These included regenerative treatments to encourage his body to rebuild damaged muscle, special growth factors to support healing, oxygen therapy to boost repair, and physical therapy to help him move better. He was given natural healing proteins to help fix and rebuild the damaged muscles more quickly. He got special oxygen treatment (HBOT) to speed up healing and reduce swelling. He did gentle exercises along with laser and energy-based treatments to help him move better and get stronger. We also kept an eye on his spine and heart to make sure he stayed as healthy as possible. We have seen patients like Yash gain more strength, move with more ease, and feel more energetic. The goal wasn’t just to manage Muscular Dystrophy but to help him live a happier life. Today, Yash is like a new person. He walks with confidence, balances without fear, and yes, he even dances, something he thought he’d lost forever. Muscular Dystrophy doesn’t just make your muscles weaker; it can steal away the things that make life joyful, like playing with friends or chasing your dreams. But Yash’s story shows that with the right support, there’s hope for so much more. It’s not just about moving better; it’s about living better.”

“I used to struggle a lot just to get up because of severe pain, it took so much effort and strength every single time. I felt embarrassed to go out or meet people because I couldn’t stand up or move properly. In 8th and 9th grade, I even fell two or three times. I was afraid to take even one step and had completely lost hope that I could ever walk like before. But everything changed when I met Dr. Mahajan and his team. They not only gave me the confidence but also the assurance that my condition would improve. Knowing that Dr Pradeep was there to guide me through the treatment gave me a huge sense of relief. After the treatment, the episodes of falling have completely stopped. I can now get up easily, walk confidently, balance myself better, and even dance again! The entire team treated me like family and kept me motivated at every step. I’ll always be thankful for their support and care,” concluded Yash.

This article first appeared on Mid Day