Apollo doctors perform complex congenital open heart surgery on 48 day old infant

Specialists at Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (AIMSR), Hyderabad, led by Dr Sunil Swain, Chief Paediatric Cardio Vascular thoracic Surgeon, performed a complex paediatric heart surgery on a 48 day old male child, diagnosed with complex and multiple congenital heart defects, at a third of the cost incurred for this complex surgery. The baby had numerous congenital heart anomalies including d-TGA, VSD, ASD, PDA, Single coronary artery, in which the two great arteries of heart arising from opposite sides. It is a rare subset of heart defects, present in one in 3500 live births, if treated early these babies lead a normal life.

The team of specialists performed an Arterial switch along with ASD, VSD closure and PDA ligation and division. A congenital open-heart surgery of this complexity was being performed for the first time by a medical college in the combined Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The newly established Pediatric Cardiac and Cardiothoracic surgery department at AIMSR, with vastly experienced specialists, is treating highly critical pediatric heart ailments with outcomes on par with the best hospitals in the country and at highly subsidised cost.

The baby was brought to the hospital’s emergency ward in a highly critical state of progressively reducing arterial oxygen saturation and intense breathing. The mother of the baby while breast feeding when the baby was just fifteen days old, observed symptoms of profuse sweating in forehead, heavy breathing and heart palpitations. The local paediatrician in Sadashivpet referred the baby to a children’s Hospital, which identified two holes in the heart through a 2D echo and advised the parents to bring him back after three months.

Even after two weeks the severity of the symptoms subsisted with the new born having episodes of vomiting and not feeding milk. The worried parents took him to another hospital in Sangareddy, but his condition deteriorated with lips and nails turning blue in ICU within a couple of days, therefore he was shifted to a children’s hospital in Hyderabad. He was admitted in the ICU, advised immediate surgery and the parents were asked to arrange Rs 8 to 10 lakh, which was well beyond their means and they instead shifted the baby to Niloufer hospital for the night. The next day before coming to AIMSR, they made a futile attempt at another Corporate hospital and found the cost unaffordable.

All this delay and immense strain on the new born with constant movement from hospital to hospital, took a serious toll on her health and was virtually in a very bad shape with bleak chances of recovery. He was immediately admitted and stabilised. After performing the complex Arterial switch, ASD and VSD closure and PDA ligation and division, the baby was shifted to ICU, weaned off the ventilator after 12 hours and was discharged on the 7^th day of operation, with an excellent outcome. Dr Sunil Swain was supported by Dr Meena, Chief Critical care specialist; Dr Amol, Chief paediatric Cardiologist and nursing staff, in performing this surgery successfully.

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