Tongue surgery performed!

CHENNAI:  For the first time in Chennai, a rare tongue surgery was performed on a one year-old African child at the Balaji Dental and Craniofacial Hospital, Teynampet. The baby who suffered from Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, had an abnormally large tongue since birth. Explains SM Balaji, Director,Balaji Dental and Craniofacial Hospital, “The baby had difficulties closing her mouth, eating and swallowing food. She also had difficulty speaking. This defect is part of a syndrome called Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.”The doctors in the hospital had successfully trimmed and reduced the size of the tongue without damaging the nerves, muscles and blood vessels. It was an intricate and delicate surgery. Owing to the rarity of the case, the doctors have also sent the reports to research departments.Says he, “This rare disorder affects about one in 15,000 people. Many remain untreated for a long period of time due to lack of awareness about the possibilities of treatment and simple recovery. It is our duty to spread awareness about such rare diseases so that the children are operated at a young age and the deformities do not cause any permanent damage, especially to their speech and faces.He adds, “The baby is absolutely fine now. She now has a normal tongue just like all of us.”