Another milestone was achieved today by the department of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery, Government Medical College Jammu when a large hole in the Heart of a 7 year old female child was repaired through minimal access method through a small (5.5 Cm) muscle sparing (non muscle cutting) incision in the right axilla (armpit) area of right side of chest wall, thus avoiding the area of Right breast tissue.
This is a novel technique in which heart was not stopped to carry out the repair of hole in the heart and the procedure was carried out while the heart was continuously beating. There are only few Cardiothoracic centres which fix the holes in heart on beating heart remarked the Chief surgeon Dr Shyam Singh .These delicate operations need precision, alertness of each member of the team including Anaesthetists, Perfusionists and scrub nurses. The patient was extubated soon after operation as she became fully awake and her Heart rate, blood pressure and other vital parameters became normal.
The technique gives very good cosmetic results as the scar hides by the arm and the area of right breast tissue is not disturbed. Besides short hospital stay, the amount of blood, and painkiller drugs required are also less as compared to conventional procedure which is performed by splitting breast bone (sternum) and making the heart stand still (quiet) using drugs to stop the heart beat when the surgery is performed. Moreover patient get mobile the same day of Surgery. The new technique was carried out using the same set of equipment and instruments as for conventional surgery without adding to the cost. All the expenses of consumable and other drugs used were covered under Ayushman Bharat Scheme. This child was failing to grow for her age and had palpitations (rapid heat beats) and repeated chest infections. Her heart chambers were enlarged and excessive flow of blood was going into lungs because of Hole between two upper chambers of heart. She was referred by Paediatric Department of our hospital for surgical intervention.
