A 10-day-old premature baby underwent a rare life-saving surgery at Tripura Medical College (TMC) after developing neonatal gangrene. Doctors successfully performed a high-risk amputation, highlighting advanced neonatal care and timely medical intervention in Tripura.
Doctors at Tripura Medical College (TMC) have successfully performed a rare and extremely high-risk life-saving surgery on a 10-day-old premature baby girl suffering from a severe and life-threatening medical condition. Hospital authorities confirmed the breakthrough medical intervention on Friday, describing it as one of the most challenging neonatal surgeries handled at the institution.
The infant was born prematurely on December 25, 2025, to Jebin Begam and Jainul Haque, residents of the Irani police station area in Kailashahar, Unakoti district. According to doctors, the mother went into premature labour after the rupture of the amniotic sac while she was being shifted to a hospital, leading to an emergency delivery under critical conditions.
Soon after birth, the baby developed acute respiratory distress and was initially admitted to a private hospital. Doctors later advised referral to GB Pant Hospital in Agartala for advanced neonatal care. However, the family instead sought treatment at another private medical facility, where doctors identified gangrene developing in the infant’s right leg — a rare and alarming condition in newborns.
As the baby’s condition worsened, she was taken to Silchar Medical College and Hospital, which subsequently referred her to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital due to her extremely low body weight. Unable to proceed further, the family returned home and later consulted a local paediatrician, who immediately advised them to approach senior surgeon Dr Aniruddha Basak.
On December 31, 2025, when the baby was just six days old and weighed barely one kilogram, she was admitted to Tripura Medical College under Dr Basak’s care. Doctors diagnosed her with neonatal gangrene, a rare but potentially fatal condition requiring urgent surgical intervention.
“If immediate surgery had not been performed, the infection could have spread throughout her body, drastically reducing her chances of survival,” Dr Basak said.
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After extensive diagnostic evaluation and continuous monitoring, the surgical team performed the critical operation on January 6, 2026. Doctors stated that operating on a severely underweight 10-day-old infant posed extraordinary risks. During the procedure, surgeons were forced to amputate a portion of the baby’s right leg in a medically necessary operation known as a Lisfranc amputation to prevent the infection from spreading.
Hospital authorities confirmed that the surgery was successful and the baby is currently stable, receiving intensive post-operative care and close medical supervision at TMC. Doctors expressed cautious optimism about her recovery, calling the case a remarkable example of timely medical intervention saving a fragile newborn’s life.
