Mangaluru: A cardiothoracic team at Yenepoya Specialty Hospital headed by Dr K Sakthivel has successfully performed a complex and high-risk cardiac surgery on a 6-kg baby suffering from large ventricular septal defect (VSD) and patent ductus arteriosus – a critical congenital heart ailment. Dr K Sakthivel, chief and consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, said it was the first time that the hospital performed this high-risk surgery.
The baby was suffering from repeated lung infection and heart failure due to which she failed to gain weight as per norms. On evaluation, the baby was found to have a large hole in the wall between heart’s lower chambers. The oxygen-rich blood was getting back into the lungs instead of pumping it out to the body, causing the heart to work harder. The baby was also having patent ductus arteriosus (persistent opening between two major blood vessels leading from the heart – aorta and lung artery).
After detailed consultation with the family, the new cardiothoracic surgery team, including cardiac anaesthetist Dr Mohandas who is specially trained in paediatric cases, performed the surgery successfully.
Courtesy: The Times Of India