“Every breath was a struggle”: Thane doctors save 6-month-old with complex bronchial stenting surgery

In a difficult intervention, doctors in Thane successfully treated a 6-month-old infant suffering from severe airway collapse of the left bronchus. Bronchial stenting is an advanced, minimally invasive procedure not commonly performed in such young infants.

The procedure was led by Dr Manisha Juvekar, Consultant – Paediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, KIMS Hospitals, along with a multidisciplinary team. The infant had a history of recurrent respiratory infections and hospitalisation.
The infant had severe respiratory distress, breathlessness marked by pronounced sternal and intercostal retractions.

The baby underwent Diagnostic procedures like the High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT), CT PA ( as the child had a past history of cardiac surgery) to rule out any extrinsic airway compression. There was hyperinflation of the left lung and a shift of the mediastinum towards the right, making the case particularly critical revealing its severity. Bronchoscopy revealed type 2 laryngomalacia with severe left main stem bronchomalacia, (a condition where the airway walls are weak and collapse during breathing. The trachea was normal.

“With such severe bronchomalacia, the airway tends to collapse with every breath, which can be detrimental for the lungs leading to long term complications like bronchiectasis .In this case, conventional management was unlikely to provide sustained relief. There was multidisciplinary team wherein a call was taken to stent the bronchus and relieve the obstruction said Dr Juvekar.

After careful deliberation with the child’s parents, the team proceeded with bronchial stenting. Using a rigid bronchoscope and a flexible scope under fluoroscopic guidance, a 6 mm × 15 mm metallic stent was precisely deployed to keep the airway open and prevent collapse. The stent was deployed by precision in the left main bronchus ,the position of which was asserted.

“This is a technically demanding procedure, especially in such a young patient. The margin for error is minimal, and it requires precise coordination between multiple teams. Our goal was to stabilise the airway and give the child a chance to breathe normally,” she added.

The procedure involved close collaboration between radiology, cath lab specialists, paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) teams, anaesthetists, and technical staff. Special arrangements were made to urgently procure the required equipment, including the rigid bronchoscope and stent, ensuring timely intervention.


Following the procedure, the infant showed improvement, with stabilisation of breathing and reduced respiratory distress.


Experts note that bronchomalacia in infants is often under-recognised and, in severe cases, can lead to repeated hospital admissions and life-threatening complications. While conservative management remains the first line of treatment, advanced interventions like bronchial stenting can be crucial in select, high-risk cases.


“Awareness around such interventions in paediatric patients is still evolving. Timely diagnosis and access to specialised care can significantly improve outcomes, even in complex cases like these,” Dr Juvekar emphasised.