Manipal Hospital Offers Hope to Infants Born with CHD
Congenital heart disease strikes thousands of infants around the world, with approximately nine in every 1,000 births born with some type of congenital heart defect. Such was the case when little Mikey ( Name changed for privacy reasons ) was born with a rare congenital heart defect affecting his left ventricle as well as both arteries servicing the right ventricle of the heart. The condition caused a bluish tint to – Mikey’s skin, more commonly known as cyanosis, a sign that the blood is poorly oxygenated.
Mikey’s parents had heard of Manipal Heart Institute at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore, which specialized in neonatal and infant cardiovascular surgery. " Mikey’s case is very complicated and very few surgeons considered any type of surgery in fear of making his condition worse. However, we decided to take up his case," said Dr. Devananda.
Fourteen-year-old - Mikeyjust wanted to live a normal life. He and his parents discussed the benefits and risks of a surgical procedure that could repair his heart, and then decided to go for it. During the surgical procedure, the surgeons focused on his failing left ventricle, performing a procedure that literally diverted one third of the blood entering the left ventricle directly into the lungs, for oxygenation. They then "trained" the right ventricle to take up a greater load of circulation, opposite of normal heart function. It worked.
Mikey’s parents had decided to accept the risks of the surgery because they saw no other option. "For the past fourteen years, it wasn’t easy to watch my son get bluer day by day," stated - Mikey’s father. “He had one surgery when he was four years old, but within a few months, his condition deteriorated and he was constantly breathless…. we came to Manipal Hospital."
The miracle named Dr. Devananda
The surgery went well, though it took approximately eight long, grueling hours, and today, - Mikey is doing fine, and isn't "blue" anymore. Thousands of women throughout India worry about the health and wellness of their babies, as do pregnant women around the world. " , it's important for hospitals not only in India, but around the world to create initiatives that prevent heart-related aliments," states Dr. Devananda.
Mikey’s parents, like many others dealing with such issues, became more aware of initiatives not only in India, but around the world to bring awareness to the problem.
Unfortunately, while it is near impossible to determine exactly what causes a congenital heart defect, increasing awareness among the public as well as the medical professional industry focuses on early diagnosis and treatment, with greater chances of success, much like Mikey’s
Dr. Devananda specializes in aortic surgery and neonatal and infant cardiac surgery, among the few surgeons to have performed complex open-heart surgery on both a 29-week-old baby and a 90-year-old man in India.
For more information about Manipal Hospital and Dr. Devananda’s success in the field of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, visit PlacidWay.com.
