Arterial switch operation saves 3-day-old

A team of doctors led by Dr Tapan K Dash performed a complex life saving surgery on a 1400gm baby. The three-day old was diagnosed with a heart defect where the organ’s sutures were altered. Consequently, the doctors had to perform arterial switch operation to save the baby’s life.

“Doing this complex surgery on a 1,400gm child is challenging and technically demanding. The child was blue before surgery with oxygen saturation of 40 per cent,” said Dr Dash, Chief Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon at Care Hospitals.

“This is a rare form of complex congenital heart defect where the child born blue and may die soon unless corrected as soon as possible. It is a regular surgery in a child above 2kg, but this child was only 1,400gms. This rare disease occurs in two out of 10,000 births,” said the doctor.

“The operation was challenging because of the baby’s weight and around 4cm heart. The heart was stopped for 75min and surgery was completed within two hours,” he said.

The child recovered and after five days and is doing well now. The entire procedure was done under Aarogyasri scheme. The team of 12 specialists included Dr K Nageshwar Rao, Chief Paediatric Cardiologist, Dr Rhazane, Dr Anand, Dr Ramakrishna and a team assistants and nurses.