KUALA LUMPUR: The complex Kelly’s procedure for bladder exstrophy has been performed in Malaysia for the first time.
Bladder exstrophy is a complex birth defect in which a baby is born with the bladder outside the body.
Kelly’s procedure reconstructs the bladder neck using the child’s muscle and soft tissue to create a new functional sphincter, improving bladder capacity and enabling controlled urination for improved bladder control and cosmetic outcome.
Without corrective surgery, affected children often remain diaper-dependent for life.
On Monday, Prince Court Medical Centre consultant urologist Dr Roger Anthony Idi and Professor Imran Mushtaq, a paediatric urologist renowned for his expertise in complex reconstructive surgery, performed the surgery on a 2-year-old boy from Indonesia.
Dr Anthony said the birth defect affected more boys than girls and the corrective procedure is typically performed at 2 to 3 years old.
The success rate for the surgery is 80 to 90 per cent.
“Cases are more often found in America, not in Malaysia and Asean countries,” Dr Anthony said.
Mushtaq said: “Conditions like bladder exstrophy can have lifelong consequences if not treated early. With the right expertise and infrastructure, children can go on to live healthy, functional lives. The earlier these children are seen, the better their outcomes.”
“This is more than just one surgery. It’s the beginning of better access for families across the region who previously had no choice but to travel abroad,” Dr Anthony said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
