A team of cardiac surgeons of MMI Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Raipur, successfully treated two one-month-old infants suffering from congenital cardiac disorder called Dextro-transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA, with intact ventricular septum).
The surgeons at the hospital took on the challenge to perform the complex Arterial Switch Procedure to correct the disorder in Chuneshwari Sahu (one month and seven days old) and Mayank (one month and 13 days old).
The life-saving procedure must be performed within child’s first month of life because if the corrective surgery is not performed, the child can’t survive beyond few months, the surgeons stated.
The corrective surgery was performed in two stages to switch the arteries. The cardiology team lead by Dr Sumanta Padhi, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Dr Kinjal Bakshi, Pediatric Cardiologist performed the first intervention ‘Balloon Arterial Septostomy’ as soon as the diagnosis was made to reduce swelling in the heart.
This was followed by the major and final surgery ‘Arterial Switch Surgery’ performed about 2 to 3 days after the first procedure to switch the arteries done by Dr Nishant Singh Chandel, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon.
Commenting on the surgery, Dr Chandel said, “Congenital heart disease affects about 4 out of 1000 births in India. This kind of case requires disconnection and re-connection of the arteries for blood to flow normally. The timing of intervention is critical in such cases and the corrective surgery needs to be performed within the first month from the time of birth.
The procedure due to the complexity of surgery and postoperative management problems considered to be the most difficult disease of heart to treat surgically. Unfortunately due to delayed diagnosis and treatment many children do not survive beyond one year.”
‘D-Transposition’ is a congenital cardiac defect in which the main arteries are opposite of the normal heart’s anatomy with the aorta connected to the right ventricle, and the pulmonary artery connected to the left ventricle. As a result of this, oxygen levels in the blood are not optimal and the child’s body has a bluish tinge to it.
Both the infants at the hospital were diagnosed in their 4th week of age because they come from remote villages and could reach the hospital after significant delay. The cardiac surgeons successfully inter-changed arteries in 6-8 hours long procedure and the children were discharged from hospital within 10 days after complete recovery, the doctors stated.
The causes of most congenital heart defects are unknown; however there are some factors in the mother that may increase the risk of this condition which includes diabetes, poor nutrition during pregnancy and viral illness during pregnancy. The symptoms may appear at the time of birth which may include blueness of the skin, clubbing of fingers or toes, poor feeding and shortness of breath.
Manish Trivedi, Facility Director, MMI Narayana Multispeciality Hospital said, “It has been our constant endeavour to offer best of clinical services to all our patients. With the success of these two cases, for the surgery which is only performed in metro cities, it is indeed a proud moment for the cardiac team at the hospital.”