Baby undergoes rare heart surgery 3 hours after birth at KIMS Kurnool

Kurnool: A newborn successfully underwent a rare heart surgery just three hours after being born. The rare and complex balloon angioplasty on the infant was done at KIMS Cuddles Hospital in Kurnool.

Speaking about the procedure and the diagnosis that led to the operation, Dr K Mohammed Farooq, a renowned pediatric cardiologist at KIMS Kurnool, provided details of the case.

Aortic valve was almost completely blocked

“A pregnant woman from Kurnool had a scan done at a hospital late in her pregnancy, which raised suspicions of a heart issue in the fetus. She was referred to KIMS Cuddles Hospital, where we conducted a 2D-Echo scan while the baby was still in the womb. The scan revealed that the aortic valve was narrowed, significantly impairing blood flow and severely affecting heart function. Given that the pregnancy was full-term, we decided to perform a precautionary C-section to deliver the baby,” Dr Farooq said.

Immediately after birth, the baby was placed on a ventilator and subjected to another 2D-Echo scan and additional tests. As initially suspected, the aortic valve was almost completely blocked (aortic stenosis), preventing proper blood flow from the heart to other organs. Consequently, the heart was not functioning correctly.

“We decided to perform a balloon angioplasty just three hours after birth. While performing such procedures on newborns is rare, detecting and addressing the issue before birth is even rarer. The balloon angioplasty was carried out with utmost precision, allowing the heart to start functioning normally. Without this procedure, the baby’s blood flow to other body parts would have been severely compromised, leading to more complex issues,” the doctor said.

This surgery was a collaborative effort by neonatologists Dr Bharat Reddy and Dr Rachana, gynaecologist Dr Kusuma, and cardiac anesthesiologist Dr Joshna.

“Early detection enabled us to save the baby without complications. However, continuous follow-up for the next two to three years is necessary, and another balloon angioplasty might be required if deemed necessary. After advising the parents on the necessary precautions, we discharged the baby after four days,” Dr Farooq explained.

A rare feat

Typically, health issues in newborns are identified post-birth. However, diagnosing and addressing problems before birth is exceedingly rare.

Similarly, at the beginning of this year, a 34-week preterm baby girl, weighing only 1.3 kg, underwent a successful complex open-heart surgery in Visakhapatnam for the first time in the city’s history.

The baby was one of the twins born prematurely at 32 weeks of pregnancy. While the boy twin was healthy, the girl developed breathing difficulties shortly after birth. She received critical medical care at Lotus Children Hospital in Vizag, under the supervision of the chief neonatologist, Dr Ganesh Sanku.