Pediatric Cardiac Surgery often deals with cases of congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease is a common heart ailment among new born children and involves deficiencies like structural defects, congenital arrythmias and cardiomyopathies. This leads to different kinds of abnormalities related to the heart. Congenital heart disease is a cause of improper growth of the heart or blood vessels before birth.

Diagnosis/Preparation Surgery in India

Before surgery for congenital heart defects, the patient will receive a complete evaluation, which includes a physical exam, a detailed family history, a chest x ray , an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram, and usually, cardiac catheterization. Blood tests will be performed to measure formed blood elements, electrolytes, and blood glucose. Additional tests for sickle cell and digoxin levels may be performed, if applicable. For six to eight hours before the surgery, the patient cannot eat or drink anything.

Before the Procedure Surgery in India

If your child is talking, tell them about the surgery. If you have a preschool-aged child, tell them the day before what will happen. Say, for example, “We are going to the hospital to stay for a few days. The doctor is going to do an operation on your heart to make it work better.”

If your child is older, start talking about the procedure 1 week before the surgery. You should involve the child’s life specialist (someone who helps children and their families during times like major surgery) and show the child the hospital and surgical areas.

Your child may need many different tests : –

• Blood tests (such as complete blood count, electrolytes, clotting factors, and “cross match”)
• X-rays of the chest
• Electrocardiogram (EKG, or ECG)
• Echocardiogram (ECHO, or ultrasound of the heart)
• Cardiac catheterization
• History and physical

Always tell your child’s doctor or nurse what drugs your child is taking. Include drugs, herbs, and vitamins you bought without a prescription.

Why the Procedure is Performed ?

Some heart defects need repair soon after birth. For others, it is better to wait months or years. Certain heart defects may not need to be repaired.

In general, symptoms that indicate that surgery is needed are : –

• Blue or gray skin, lips, and nail beds (cyanosis). These symptoms mean there is not enough oxygen in the blood (hypoxia).
• Difficulty breathing because the lungs are “wet,” congested, or filled with fluid (heart failure)
• Problems with heart rate or heart rhythm (arrhythmias)
• Poor feeding or sleeping, and lack of growth and development of a child

Aftercare Surgery in India

After heart surgery for congenital defects, the patient goes to an intensive care unit for continued cardiac monitoring. The patient may also require continued ventilator support. Chest tubes allow blood to be drained from inside the chest as the surgical site heals. Pain medications will be continued, and the patient may remain under general anesthetic. Within 24 hours, the chest tubes and ventilation may be discontinued. Any cardiac drugs used to help the heart perform better will be adjusted appropriate with the patient’s condition.

For temporary procedures, additional follow-up with the physician will be required to judge timing for complete repair. In the meantime, the patient should continue to grow and thrive normally. Complete repair requires follow-up with the physician initially to judge the adequacy of repair, but thereafter will be infrequent with good prognosis. The child should be made aware of any procedure to be communicated for future medical care in adulthood.

Risks Surgery in India

Hospitals and medical centers that perform heart surgery on children have surgeons, nurses, and technicians who are specially trained to perform these surgeries. They also have staff who will take care of your child after surgery.

Risks for any surgery are : –

• Bleeding during surgery or in the days after surgery
• Bad reactions to medicines
• Problems breathing
• Infection

Additional risks of heart surgery are : –

• Blood clots (thrombi)
• Air bubbles (air emboli)
• Pneumonia
• Heartbeat problems (arrhythmias)
• Heart attack
• Stroke

List Of Other Pediatrics and Congenital Heart Surgery Surgery Offered In India

• Congenital Heart Surgery

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