PUNE: Twelve-year-old Maryam (name changed) came to India from Yemen in July last year with hopes of overcoming her medical condition after suffering from a congenital spinal defect called meningomyelocele since childhood.Due to her condition, the girl could not attend regular school as she did not have any control over her bladder or bowel sensation, leaving her incontinent and socially isolated.After living a life filled with embarrassment due to her medical condition, Maryam could finally enter her fifth class in a regular school in Jan this year, and in April, doctors declared her completely recovered.
The emotional and physical toll on the girl and her family was immense. In addition, her condition also led to further complications-recurrent urinary tract infections, renal osteodystrophy, and eventually chronic kidney disease.By the time she consulted Dr. R.K. Shimpi at Pune’s at Inamdar Multispeciality Hospital, the situation was critical. Dr Shimpi said, “When she got admitted in July last year, her initial management involved training her mother in clean intermittent catheterization (CIC), which dramatically improved her urinary tract infections and renal function. But it was only the beginning as the girl had to undergo sacral neuromodulation, also known as urinary bladder pacemaker.““Conceptually, this device delivers gentle electrical impulses to the sacral nerves that control bladder and bowel function. The goal is to restore connection between the brain and bladder,” he said.Before permanent implantation, a trial was conducted in Aug last year using an external battery device. Maryam experienced a 70% improvement in symptoms – a remarkable outcome for a child who had never experienced normal bladder function.Encouraged by this, her family opted for permanent implantation. The procedure was successfully performed by Dr Shimpi, a urologist and robotic surgeon, on Aug 20, 2024.In the days that followed, her quality of life improved, opening new possibilities.“It’s not just about urine control,” Dr. Shimpi said. “It’s about giving this child her life back. Meningomyelocele is a preventable condition often linked to folic acid deficiency during pregnancy, but when it happens, early intervention can be lifesaving.”Maryam’s mother stated, “We had almost given up hope. Watching my daughter live in isolation and shame was heartbreaking, but Dr Shimpi and his team changed our lives. Today, she talks about going to school again, and her eyes shine with hope.”
