‘Congenital heart disease accounts for high infant mortality’

Mysore/Mysuru: “In spite of common prevalence, advanced cardiac care is available to only a minority of children and Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) accounts for a high proportion of infant mortality worldwide,” said Dr. M.N. Ravi, Clinical Director and Senior Consultant Cardiac Surgery (Adult), Narayana Multi-speciality Hospital, Mysuru.

Addressing the gathering at an event to commemorate Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day at a private hotel in city recently, where a panel of doctors shared some insights about various cardiac conditions, how to identify them and best treatment modality available, Dr. Ravi said challenges to paediatric cardiac care include lack of awareness and timely diagnosis.

Realising the need for proactive response, Narayana Hospital, Mysuru, has succeeded in developing a comprehensive paediatric cardiac care programme and specialised clinic with trained paediatric cardiologists, surgeons and anaesthetists to manage these kids, including device closures of defects and surgery for complex CHDs. The commitment of the team at Narayana Hospital has helped in the hospital being recognised as the only centre in the area offering these services, he added.

Ten-month-old baby Manasi, hailing from Nanjangud, was diagnosed with a large hole in the heart (Ventricular septal defect) and only weighed 6 kg, with complaints of repeated chest infections and poor weight gain. For the first time in Mysuru, such a low weight baby was operated successfully at Narayana Hospital.

Similarly, another case of a newly born baby of an expecting mother Veena from Mysuru was diagnosed with a severe narrowing of the right side outlet valve of the heart (pulmonary valve). The defect was identified during pregnancy by foetal echo-cardiogram. Narayana Hospital undertook the delivery of the baby successfully and at 15 days of life, successful balloon dilatation of the narrowed valve was done without a need for open surgery by expert paediatric cardiologist. It is for first time in Mysuru that such a catheter-based procedure on a new born baby was performed. Earlier patients had to travel to Bengaluru for such complex treatment.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Ravi Varma Patil, Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon at Narayana Multi-speciality Hospital, Mysuru, said, “50 percent of patients need definite form of treatment in the form of catheter interventions or surgery within one year of life. We have successfully completed over 50 paediatric cardiac surgeries at Narayana Hospital and for the first time, comprehensive paediatric cardiac services are offered at the hospital. It is largely beneficial for the affected patients from Mysuru and neighbouring districts.”

Dr. Anand Lingan, Consultant-Paediatric Cardiology at Narayana Hospital, Mysuru said, “An early accurate diagnosis by performing an echo-cardiogram helps in offering appropriate timely treatment to the patient. The cardiac intervention procedures undertaken at our hospital include device closure of ASD, VSD, PDA, Valve and Coarctation of aorta dilatations, stent implantations and pacemaker implantations in children. There is also an exclusive free ‘Little Heart Clinic’ being conducted every Tuesday to benefit the children for early diagnosis of CHDs.”