Newborn undergoes seven-hour surgery in UP hospital to survive TGA

Lucknow: In probably one of the first in the private healthcare sector in the Uttar Pradesh, a two kg pre-term baby was born to a young couple and diagnosed to have a condition called TGA (Transposition of Great Arteries).

The baby was put on prostaglandin, a lifesaving medicine and transferred to Tender Palm Hospital in Lucknow, under the care of Dr Vijay Agarwal, senior surgeon.

The child underwent a seven hour-long and difficult surgery by Dr Vijay Agarwal and his team and after keeping the chest open for 24 hours and with a lot of hard work by ICU nursing staff and expert intensivist and paediatrician, he was successfully removed from the ventilator after three days.

“In this condition the aorta comes out from the right ventricle and pulmonary artery from the left ventricle (opposite to normal humans). The coronary artery of the child was also difficult to handle and intramural, increasing the difficulty of surgery and increasing the possibility of death on the table,” explained Dr Vijay Agarwal.

“It’s the team work and expert ICU team which has an important role for success after surgery,” said Vinay Sharma, CEO, Tender Palm Hospital.

“Currently ours is the only hospital equipped to handle babies below five kg and new norms,” said Dr Vineet Shukla, adding, “We offer Ayushman scheme and CM fund assistance for these children.”

Dr Vijay Agarwal further shared, “The child is likely to lead a normal life with no medications after three months and is lucky to survive as 80 per cent children of TGA die in the first month of life.