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Saves 25-day old baby from rare heart ailment
Bangalore, July 3, 2009: A 25-day old baby boy, diagnosed with a rare Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) at a pre-natal stage, was successfully operated in Narayana Hrudayalaya. A team of 4 doctors headed by Dr. Collin John, Senior Pediatric Surgeon, Narayana Hrudayalaya, performed a complex Norwood procedure on the baby for 7 hours to give the baby a new lease of life.
HLHS is a rare abnormality with a low incidence of 0.016% to 0.036% live births. The baby was born without the left ventricle in the heart (pumping chamber of the heart), blocking the supply of blood to the body. Further delay in treatment would have proved fatal for the baby.
Dr. Collin John Senior Pediatric Surgeon, Narayana Hrudayalaya said, “Successfully implementing the Norwood Procedure is a rare feat due to its highly complex nature. Because of growing awareness and technology we could diagnose the ailment pre-birth and save the baby's parents from distress as they are thrilled with a good chance of the baby's survival.”
The Norwood Procedure involves three stages of surgery for complete recovery. The baby has been operated for the first stage. The procedure has connected the right ventricle of the baby’s heart to the aorta to restore the blood supply to the rest of his body. An additional artificial tube has been implanted in the ventricle to function as the Pulmonary Artery supplying blood to his lungs.
The baby is due for the second stage of treatment, called the Bidirectional Glenn, in late September this year. Dr. John further added, “The procedure will correct blood flow load in the ventricle to optimise blood supply to the body. It will also prepare the heart for the third stage of operation, if required, called the Fontan.”
The third, and the final stage, diverts the venous blood from the right atrium directly to the pulmonary arteries without passing through the morphologic right ventricle. This procedure is required only if the right ventricle is unable to perform the dual task of supplying blood to both the body and the lungs.
The baby is currently recuperating in the hospital and responding well to the treatment.
About Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) causes 23% of cardiac deaths during the first week of life and 15% of cardiac deaths within the first month of life. In HLHS the heart’s left side — including the aorta, aortic valve, left ventricle and mitral valve — is underdeveloped. In most children, the cause isn’t known. Some children can have other heart defects along with HLHS.
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