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17 kg baby: Difference of opinion among docs over baby Shreejit's treatment

Shreejit's father works as a temporary watchman at a private medical college.

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Doctors in the city are facing a tough time in deciding what treatment should be offered to Shreejit Hingankar — a 10-month-old baby from Pune who weighs a whopping 17 kg. According to doctors, Shreejit suffers from Leptin gene mutation/deficiency that causes obesity. To get second opinion, the Hingankars came to Mumbai on Wednesday. If medications do not help, Shreejit might have to undergo weight-loss surgery. And if he goes under the knife, he will be the youngest patient in the world to do so. Currently, the baby is under the observation of Dr Shashank Shah, former president of the Obesity Surgery Society of India (OBSSI) and bariatric surgeon from Pune. Four days ago, dna was the first to report about the child: "10 months old, but weighs 17 kg: Pune boy faces rare obesity surgery".

Before the surgery, Dr Shah wants to try all other possibilities because of which they brought the baby to Mumbai. Shreejit's father works as a temporary watchman at a private medical college in Pimpri and the family cannot afford the medical treatment. The cost of the surgery varies from Rs 3 to 6 lakh, hence doctors decided to take care of all the expenses. "There is a difference of opinion among doctors. We, therefore, came to Mumbai where many doctors checked the baby, but they are yet to come up to a conclusion. Once, we are out of options, we will decide what to do," said Ruapli Hingankar, mother of Shreejit. Due to this condition, Shreejit is having issues as he cannot sit and walk, even with support. He also suffers from breathlessness. 

Before coming to Mumbai, Shreejit meet senior paediatric endocrinologist Dr Waman Khadilkar, who is attached with Jahangir hospital, Pune. He advised there is only one treatment: to inject Shreejit with Leptin hormone. "As it is a rare case. Surgery will be the last option," he said. "We already brought the baby to Mumbai for second opinion now we are waiting for the report. We have already approached a few companies who produce leptin hormones injection in the US and the UK. But we came to know that the injection is under clinical trial and nobody knows the result. I am not in hurry to conduct a surgery unless experts say that surgery in the only option. The surgery is called sleeve gastrectomy," said Dr Shah.

What is sleeve gastrectomy?
If doctors get a go-ahead from experts, they will perform a surgical procedure called sleeve gastrectomy — a restrictive form of weight-loss surgery — in which approximately 85% of the stomach is removed, leaving behind a cylindrical or sleeve-shaped stomach. The removal of the major part of the stomach results in the virtual elimination of ghrelin hormones, which stimulate hunger. It gives the feeling of instant fullness even after a light meal.

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