New born undergoes rare cardiovascular surgery at PGIMER

Chandigarh, Nov 22 (UNI) A cardiovascular surgery on a 60-hour-old infant was performed at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here.

A team of doctors led by Pediatric Surgeon Dr Rana Sandip Singh performed a shunt (modified BT shunt) to augment the blood supply to the lungs as both her arteries were non-functional.

The baby girl, who was dignosed with congenital cardiac anomaly in foetus, turned blue within hours of delivery. Her blood pressure and temperature also dropped, Dr Rana told media persons here today.

Dr Rana said the echocardiography done soon after the birth showed that both her arteries originating from the same ventricle were non-functional and the baby was surviving because the Potent Ductus Artery (PDA) which tends to close down after the birth, was working as the only source of blood to lungs.

A drug to keep the PDA open was immidiately given to the child and as the condition of the child deteriorated, she was put on respirator to maintain blood pressure, he said.

The team of doctors including Paediatric Cardiologist Dr Rohit Manoj, Neonatologist Dr Sourabh Datta and Cardiac Anaesthetic Dr GD Puri, decided to perform the surgery immediately.

''It was a major challenge for the anaestheitist to sustain the child in perioperative period,'' Dr Rana said.

He said the post operative recovery was remarkable and the infant was taken off the respirator just two days later as she was progressing well.

''The child is ready for discharge but her health will be closely followed up. A definitive surgery will be performed on her in the next few years,'' he said.

''This is probably the smallest baby to undergo a BT shunt in the PGIMER,'' he added.

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