Mon Dec 29 07:33:06 UTC 2025: ## News Article:
Mumbai Hospital Performs Groundbreaking Surgery on Infant with Rare Swallowing Disorder
Mumbai, India – December 29, 2025 – A 14-month-old infant from Nashik district has made a remarkable recovery after undergoing a complex Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) procedure at Gleneagles Hospital in Parel, Mumbai. The child, Neeraj Balu Kavar, suffered from Achalasia Cardia, a rare disorder that prevents the valve between the food pipe and stomach from opening, causing severe vomiting, malnutrition, and repeated pneumonia.
After months of misdiagnosis and suffering, Neeraj was referred to Dr. Vibhor Borkar, Director – Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Gleneagles Hospital. Conventional treatments like balloon dilation and open surgery were deemed too risky due to the child’s fragile condition.
A team of doctors, led by Dr. Borkar and Dr. Shankar Zanvar, Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist, adapted a bronchoscope to perform the POEM procedure, a minimally invasive technique typically used on adults. The team reports that Neeraj is the youngest child in India and possibly the smallest globally to undergo this procedure.
The 3.5-hour surgery, performed on December 9th, involved creating layers within the food pipe and performing the myotomy internally, leaving no external scars. Neeraj was closely monitored for a week to prevent re-feeding syndrome.
Now, Neeraj is eating without regurgitation and regaining strength. Doctors say the POEM procedure offers significant advantages over traditional methods, with a higher success rate and faster recovery time. The family expressed immense relief, with Neeraj’s mother calling his recovery a “miracle.”
First Piper 