Times of India
01 November 2011
By Durgesh Nandan Jha
New Delhi India

Bundle of Joy
900gm Baby’s Heart Valve Repaired In Rare Operation
They had got married last year and were expecting their bundle of joy. Sahil Puri, a real estate businessman, and wife Neha were looking forward to a life in bliss when a routine ultrasound shattered their dreams.
Six months into her pregnancy, Neha was told her foetus had been diagnosed with a defective heart.
The organ was failing and doctors said the baby won’t survive long.
In a life-saving surgery, which doctors claim to be a medical breakthrough, the child – Rehaan – was delivered premature when it weighed only 900gm and was operated upon to surgically correct a heart defect known as aortic stenosis.
It is a condition where the heart valve (aortic) gets narrowed, decreasing the blood flow and putting the life of the person at risk of heart failure.“This is the first case of a premature weighing only 900gm having been operated upon successfully for a defective heart valve.

“The child is out of danger and has already gained over 2kg of weight,” said Dr S Radhakrishnan, director and HOD, Paediatric and Congenital heart disease, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute. He had operated upon the child.
He said Rehaan was delivered through a caesarean procedure on July 20 and was put on life support and medication immediately. “The baby was smaller than the palm of a hand. We told the family about the risks of such a surgery in a premature baby but they were ready to take the risks to save him.“We used a special catheter and wire to access the artery from the legs and dilate the obstruction in heart valve using a balloon,” he said.

Dr Raghuram Mallaiah, senior consultant neonatologist at Fortis La Femme hospital, said the baby was kept in the neo-natal ICU for about three months post-surgery for regular monitoring and medical care.
“We have discharged the child and he is now on mother’s milk. The baby now weighs 2500gm and is healthy,” he said. Doctors said that once the child fully recovers, he might have to undergo another surgery.

“While Neha was pregnant, an ultrasound scan detected that Rehaan had a defective heart valve. The doctor said chances of survival were less. But we never gave up. The doctors here helped us and now our child is doing well,” said Sahil. The overjoyed couple said the success story of their child shall give hope to thousands of those whose children have been diagnosed with rare diseases. “One should never give up hope,” says Neha.

MIRACLE BABY

• After 26 weeks of pregnancy, foetus’s heart begins to fail due to a defective valve
• Baby delivered premature, undergoes balloon valvuloplasty Weight of baby at birth 900 gm
• Was suffering from aortic stenosis
• What is aortic stenosis?

Aorta is the main artery carrying blood out of heart. In aortic stenosis, aortic valve does not open fully. This decreases blood flow from heart. Survival in premature babies is rare
Procedure conducted
Balloon valvuloplasty – Surgical procedure used to open a narrowed heart valve. Improves valve function and blood flow by enlarging valve opening. Miniature hardwares used for the procedure