5-year-old child weighing mere 13 kgs successfully treated for congenital heart defect via minimally invasive open-heart surgery at Fortis Escorts Jaipur

5-year-old child weighing mere 13 kgs successfully treated for congenital heart defect via minimally invasive open-heart surgery at Fortis Escorts Jaipur 

The complex procedure was performed to treat the congenital hole in her heart, showcasing the hospital's advanced capabilities and clinical expertise  

 Jaipur, July 2024: The pediatric team at Fortis Escorts Hospital Jaipur demonstrated extraordinary clinical expertise  by successfully performing minimally-invasive open-heart surgery on a five-year-old girl, weighing just 13 kgs. This minimally invasive method differs from traditional open-heart surgery, involving smaller incisions, faster recovery time, and minimal scarring.  (incisions is in the chest and not heart), The child had a congenital heart defect called Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) and Valvular PS - conditions that causes a hole in the wall between the heart’s upper chambers and a narrowed pulmonary valve.  

 Despite the challenges posed by her young age and low weight, the minimally invasive open-heart surgery was successfully performed using Femoral cannulation procedure, under the expert care of Dr. Vikram Goyal, Director and Unit Head of Adult, Pediatric, and Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at Fortis Escorts Hospital Jaipur. The young patient was discharged  just three days post-surgery and is now recovering well, demonstrating remarkable resilience. 

 The 5-year-old patient, who suffered from breathlessness and palpitations, was previously being treated for both ​​ASD and Valvular PS in other city-based hospital. However,  owing to her age and other risk factors involved, the doctors were hesitant to  perform the minimally invasive open-heart surgery. Her parents’ search ended when they finally came to Fortis Escorts Hospital Jaipur and met Dr Vikram Goyal, who assured them of an innovative minimally invasive open-heart approach to treat the hole in her heart.  

 This rarely used technique in young patients involves inserting a cannula into the femoral artery and vein in the thigh called the femoral vascular access. Due to the child's small blood vessels, the team innovatively modified and attached an ECMO-compatible cannula to the heart-lung machine as the traditional cannulas were incompatible due to its large  size. These modified cannulas connected the child's body to the heart-lung bypass machine, keeping the patient alive during surgery. 

 Speaking on the innovative and groundbreaking move of using ECMO cannulas on a five-year-old, Dr. Vikram Goyal said: “We assessed the situation and decided to proceed with a minimally invasive approach despite the significant challenges and risk factors involved. Given the child’s age and the underdeveloped  

condition, traditional cannulation was not possible and safe as it could have resulted in vascular complications in the kid immediately or later on. Our team, including Dr. Munish Bhateja, Physician Asst. Cardiac Surgeon, Fortis Escorts Hospital Jaipur, and Dr. Ram Saran Chaturvedi, Cardiac Anesthesiologist, Fortis Escorts Hospital Jaipur brainstormed tirelessly to devise and execute this unique solution.” 

 Mr. Neerav Bansal, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospitals Jaipur, said “This is an extraordinary achievement for our team. Such cases are extremely rare and present unique challenges. Congratulations to Dr. Vikram Goyal and his team for their innovative approach and successful outcome. This groundbreaking procedure not only highlights the rapid advancements in pediatric cardiac surgery but also offers hope to other families facing similar diagnoses. It demonstrates that with skilled medical professionals and cutting-edge techniques, less invasive surgical options can be available for even the smallest patients.”