Tamil Nadu: Chennai Hospital Performs Cardiac Procedure On 'Smallest' 27-Week Preterm Baby

Usually, these techniques are commonly used in children with weight more than 2 kg, they said.

Chennai: Two private hospitals here on Tuesday announced successful cardiac procedures on one of the smallest babies and on the oldest patient in the country.

The MGM Healthcare said its doctors have successfully performed a lifesaving cardiac intervention procedure on a 27-week preterm baby, who is one of the smallest babies in the country to undergo this procedure.

The procedure was done by cardiologists Rajesh Kumar and Ramyashri under the leadership of K.R. Balakrishnan, Chairman & Director of cardiac sciences, and Director of the Heart and Lung Transplant Programme at MGM Healthcare.

The 27-week preterm baby, weighing 750 grams, was struggling for life on ventilator for almost one month since birth at the neonatal ICU (NICU) in Chennai.

The baby had one large congenital heart defect called PDA which required closure for survival.

The doctors successfully conducted this procedure on the baby on March 24. The baby was shifted back to the NICU on the same day after the procedure. The infant's oxygen requirements are coming down and will be discharged once desired weight is achieved.

Speaking about the patient, Rajesh Kumar and Ramyashri said the baby was brought to MGM Healthcare for further course of treatment after a one-month struggle at the neonatal ICU in Chennai.

A special PDA device with new technology for this intervention closure was used considering the comorbidities for open surgery.

Usually, these techniques are commonly used in children with weight more than 2 kg, they said.

Meanwhile, the Apollo Hospitals said that its doctors successfully completed a robotics cardiac surgery on a 93-year-old patient.

Robotic cardiac surgery is a less invasive method that allows patients to return to their daily lives considerably more quickly than open-heart surgery.

Speaking about the procedure, M.M. Yusuf, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, said that minimally invasive cardiac surgery avoids sternal split and aids quick recovery.

Robotic assist CABG is the least invasive cardiac surgery procedure available now. This surgery involves making tiny holes in the chest cavity through which the surgery is performed with the help of Davinci Robotic system.