Outcome of Neonates Undergoing Surgical Intervention at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northern India: A 2-Year Prospective Cohort Study

This prospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the demographic profile, diagnosis, hospital stay duration and outcomes of neonates who underwent surgical intervention at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh, from January 2023 to January 2025. The study included 102 neonates, aged 1 to 28 days, with a mean age of 7.1 ±7.6 days. The mean hospital stay was 6.0 ± 6.9 days, with a range of 1 to 53 days. Of the 102 patients, 61 (59.8%) were discharged in satisfactory condition, while 41 (40.2%) succumbed to their conditions. The most common diagnoses were Ano-Rectal Malformation (ARM) at 22.5%, followed by Tracheoesophageal Fistula Type C (TEF) at 19.6% and Acute Intestinal Obstruction at 14.7%. The highest mortality rates were observed in patients with TEF (85%) and Gastroschisis (100%), while conditions like Abscess and Rectovaginal Fistula had a 100% survival rate. This high mortality was attributed to late patient presentation, lack of specialized neonatal anesthesia and inadequate multidisciplinary support. The findings emphasize the need for improved neonatal surgical care infrastructure, early diagnosis and enhanced surgical expertise, particularly in resource-limited settings.