Doctors perform heart surgery on 750 gm baby at Andhra Hospitals

Vijayawada: Andhra Hospitals carried out a first successful hearty surgery on baby weighing 750 gram. The baby, born in Bhimavaram on May 2, was diagnosed with congenital heart disease and was brought to Andhra Hospitals here later and put on ventilator.

According to hospital, Dr. P V Rama Rao, head of children’s services and his team evaluated this baby and confirmed the diagnosis of congenital heart disease, patent ductus arteriosus with pulmonary hypertension on Echocardiogram.

As the baby was born at six months gestation, weighing only 750 grams, cardiac surgery was deferred initially but after detailed discussion with cardiac team led by Dr Vikram and Dr Dilip, neonatal intensive care team led by Dr. P V Rama Rao decided to go for surgery in view of the seriousness.

Finally heart surgery was successfully performed on 28th day of the baby. Child was kept on ventilator after surgery for 21 days and was also on CPAP respiratory support machine for three days and on oxygen for 13 days. Now child is 61 days-old, going on without oxygen and feeding well, weighing 1.25 kg. Baby will be ready for discharge in few days.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Dr. P V Ramana Murthy, managing director, Andhra Hospitals, said that complicated heart surgery on such a tiny baby was successfully performed first time in the state at Andhra Hospitals. This type of heart surgery on such a small baby would be done only in very few centres in the country and also elsewhere overseas, he said.