Apollo Children’s Hospital, Chennai successfully performed for the first time in India , a high-risk combined cardiac and tracheal surgery on a 11 month old Omani patient. The infant is said to be the first patient to receive a surgery of this kind in India.
Yaseen Essa Salim Saleem AL Ruqaishi, a Down’s syndrome patient who celebrates his first birthday this March, was diagnosed with not just congenital heart problems but also with life threatening narrowing of airway passages. These conditions caused repeated respiratory infections and increased risk of cardiac arrest for Yaseem. Oman doctors, realizing the need for a multi-disciplinary approach along with effective pre and post- operative care, referred Yaseem to Apollo children’s Hospital, Chennai.
The Omani infant with large VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect) and PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus) was kept on a ventilator for 2 months with congenital tracheal stenosis. The team at Apollo Children’s Hospital coordinated the transfer of the patient from Oman and took care of the preoperative procedures.
Upon arrival, it was found that the infant could only accommodate a size 3 ET (Endotracheal Tube) with continuous ET bleed, which led to cardiac arrest and was later revived by the intensive care team.
The combined cardiac and thoracic surgery lasted for six hours, with cardiac, thoracic, anesthesia and critical care teams working hand to hand to cure Yaseen’s heart defect and rectify his narrow airway passage in a short span of time, without risking the child’s life.
Talking on the risk involved in performing the procedure, Dr. Rajan Santosham, Thoracic Surgeon, said that, “It was a very challenging procedure considering the infant’s age and the fragile condition of both his heart and windpipe. But thanks to careful planning of our teams, from across cardiac to anesthesia, we were able to successfully perform the surgery.” “The success of the procedure confirms the potential for safe and effective access to combined cardiac and tracheal surgeries in India. The child Yaseem is breathing naturally for the first time since 2 months of being on ventilator”, said Dr. Neville Solomon, Pediatric Cardio Thoracic Surgeon, Apollo Children’s Hospital, Chennai.
Yaseen, post-surgery, was shifted to the CTICU (Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit) and was brilliantly managed and provided assistance by the Critical Care Unit of Apollo Children’s Hospital, Chennai. Parents of Yaseen are happy that their child’s heart and airway passage are gradually recovering to function normally.
