6-yr-old with rare eye disease operated successfully at KGMU

Lucknow: A six-year-old girl suffering from a rare bleeding disorder similar to haemophilia regained vision in an eye after a cataract surgery performed by doctors at KGMU.The girl, a resident of Chinhat, developed cataracts in both eyes due to a medical condition - factor VII deficiency - a genetic disorder seen in one in 5-8 lakh individuals.The condition left her with impaired vision that affected her daily activities.Several hospitals refused to treat the girl because her medical condition prevents normal blood clotting, meaning even minor surgical procedures can result in bleeding with serious consequences, said Dr Siddharth Agarwal, ophthalmologist at KGMU, who led the surgery team.A treatment plan was devised involving specialists from ophthalmology, haematology, paediatrics and anaesthesiology departments.The medical team first conducted pre-operative assessments, including blood profiling, clotting function tests and pediatric evaluations.Doctors administered clotting factor injections before, during and after the surgery.“These injections were timed precisely, as the clotting factor remains active in the body for a short duration,” said Dr SP Verma, head, clinical haematology.“The case required constant monitoring to detect and manage any sign of bleeding,” said Dr Kritika Yadav, anaesthesiologist.Anaya will require regular follow-ups and a possible second surgery for the other eye.The treatment was provided free of cost under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram.Head ophthalmology, Prof Apjit Kaur said such treatment could otherwise cost over Rs 10 lakh.