MGM Healthcare, a multi-specialty quaternary care hospital in Chennai, on April 12 announced that it had successfully performed a lifesaving Cardiac Intervention procedure for a 27-week preterm baby. The procedure was done by Paediatric Cardiac Intervention Cardiologists Dr Rajesh Kumar and Dr Ramyashri under the leadership of  Dr K R Balakrishnan, Chairman & Director of Cardiac Sciences and Director of the Heart and Lung Transplant Program at MGM Healthcare.

The 27-week preterm baby, weighing 750 grams was struggling for life on the ventilator for almost one month since birth in the Neonatal ICU in Chennai. The baby had one large congenital heart defect called PDA which required closure for survival. After discussion with parents and surgical experts, the doctors decided to use special device with new technology for intervention closure, considering the comorbidities for open surgery. 

A team of doctors successfully conducted this procedure on the baby on March 24. The baby was shifted back to Neonatal ICU on the same day after the procedure. Its oxygen requirements are coming down and it will be discharged once the desired weight is achieved.

Speaking about the patient, Dr Rajesh Kumar and Dr Ramyashri explained, “The baby was brought to MGM Healthcare Chennai for further course of treatment after a one-month struggle in the Neonatal ICU in Chennai. We used special PDA device with new technology for this intervention closure, considering the comorbidities for open surgery. Usually these techniques are commonly done in children with weight more than 2 kg. With all the team support of Paediatric Cardiac surgeons, Cardiac Anaesthetists, Neonatologists and Nurses, the baby underwent procedure successfully and was shifted back to NICU on the same day. This wouldn't have been possible without multidisciplinary team efforts of all the people, MGM management, Aishwarya Trust.”