In an exceptional and fortunate case, the infant’s genetic compatibility (HLA) match with the mother proved to be a lifesaver
Bangalore : Aster CMI Hospital bengaluru treated a 5-month-old infant weighing less than 5 kg for a rare congenital immune disorder Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency (LAD). The infant’s early days were marred by recurrent severe infections reminiscent of the tragic loss of her elder brother to a similar infection during infancy. Due to low immunity and being underweight, her condition started deteriorating when she was 2 months old, which was when comprehensive immunological and genetic testing confirmed LAD, a rare condition with an incidence of 1 per million live births.
LAD is a rare genetic disease that causes severe immunodeficiency which prevents the body’s immune system from normal functioning. This makes children with LAD very susceptible to infections, which can be fatal. This life-threatening disorder often goes undetected which emphasizes the importance of early detection and intervention. The only curative treatment for LAD is Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) from a healthy donor. Fortunately, the mother emerged as a beacon of hope as she was human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatible with the baby. Despite the inherent complications, doctors decided to go ahead with the BMT. Thus, it paved the way for the mother to give birth to her child twice.
Commenting on the transplantation procedure Dr. Anoop P, Sr. Consultant – Haematology, Paediatric Haemato-Oncology & BMT, said, “Due to the complications involved, most treatment centers even in affluent countries may prefer to perform BMT after a baby weighs at least 10 kgs and is completely free of active infection. In this baby’s case, this was clearly not an option as she would have succumbed to the disease. Our team chose to proceed with transplantation regardless of the baby’s age or weight, since it was the only hope for her survival. The procedure was challenging, however, our team went ahead with transplantation with cautious optimism. We are delighted that the procedure was successful, the infant is now recovering well, her immune system is healthy, and she is expected to lead a normal life.” He added.
The Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) was conducted along with the team of experts comprising of Paediatric Haemato-Oncology & BMT, Senior Consultants, Dr. Stalin Ramprakash & Dr. Raghuram CP, and Dr. Sagar Bhattad, Consultant – Paediatric Immunology & Rheumatology, who played a crucial role in the early diagnosis of this disease and saved the baby’s life.
Bandesha, baby’s father said during the press conference that “We would like to extend our gratitude towards all the doctors for their care throughout our child’s LAD transplant journey. Your expertise, compassion, and belief in our child’s strength guided us through the most challenging times. We are grateful for the kindness extended beyond the medical realm, easing our financial burden and allowing us to focus on our child’s recovery. Today, as our child embraces a new chapter of life, we are forever indebted for your extraordinary care. Thank you for the gift of life.
