Newborn successfully undergoes 8-hour cardiac surgery at Vizag

Visakhapatnam: A neonate (a newborn child) underwent a successful complex 8-hour cardiac surgery within 30 hours of delivery in Visakhapatnam. The KIMS Cuddles Hospital team, led by Chief Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon Dr Anil Kumar Dharmapuram, accomplished this surgery.

The neonate was born to a young couple with Obstructed Complete Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection (TAPVC), a congenital complicated heart disease. Because of this condition, the baby experienced breathing difficulties shortly after birth.

“As a result, the baby was transferred to the Cuddles neonatal centre for intensive medical care (NICU). The neonatal team, led by Dr Nikhil Tenneti, immediately suspected that the baby had a heart condition. Dr Shantipriya, a Paediatric Cardiologist, performed a thorough cardiac assessment and identified the baby with blocked TAPVC,” said Dr Anil.

The pulmonary veins from the lungs that carry pure blood to the heart emptied to the right side of the heart instead of the left side in this illness. An acute block, restricting blood flow from the lungs to the heart, was at the junction of the veins on the right side. This resulted in elevated pulmonary pressure, sometimes known as pulmonary hypertension. As a result, the baby was unable to breathe normally and had to be placed on a ventilator prior to surgery.

The surgery

The baby’s cardiac ailment was an emergency and had to be transported to the hospital for immediate and significant cardiac surgery. As soon as the diagnosis was established, the baby was operated on for TAPVC intracardiac repair. The pulmonary veins that drained to the right side of the heart had to be redirected and re-routed to the left of the heart during this 8-hour surgery.

“It is technically difficult for a surgeon to undertake such a large surgery on a neonate who is just 30 hours old and whose heart tissues are highly fragile and tender. The anaesthesia and intensive care were also difficult,” explained Dr Kumar.

Recovery

Following a couple of days of stabilisation, the infant made a miraculous recovery. The infant began feeding regularly and was discharged in good condition after being monitored by a team of experts.

“During the one-month post-discharge follow-up, the newborn gained weight bringing joy to the family and the doctors," said Dr Anil. The parents expressed gratitude to the management of KIMS Cuddles Hospital, as well as the team of doctors, nurses, and other personnel, for saving their newborn’s life.