Hyderabad doctors perform life-saving surgery on baby from Zimbabwe

HYDERABAD: An 11-month-old baby from Zimbabwe got a new lease of life after a team of doctors performed a complex cardiac surgey called unifocalization.

The infant from Zimbabwe was brought to the city hospital with a history of breathing difficulty and inability to feed properly. The weight of the baby was only 6.5 kg.

On cardiac evaluation, the baby was found to have a very complex congenital cardiac problem called pulmonary atresia with MAPCAS (major aortopulmonary collaterals), which is a rare congenital heart defect that is found after birth.

The doctors performed a technically demanding surgery which was popularised across the world by a group of surgeons at Stanford University in USA.

Dr Anil Kumar Dharmapuram, a pediatric cardiac surgeon, performed the surgery at KIMS Hospitals.

“Post-surgery, the baby took a long time to recover in the ICU. This is because the lungs must take the load of the new system of circulation from the heart after the surgery. Two weeks after the surgery, the baby is doing well now. The baby can return to Zimbabwe soon,” said Dharmapuram. Norah Situmbeko, the baby’s mother, said, “I never imagined that my baby would recover owing to his rare condition. Today, he is not only fine but is also leading a normal life. I am grateful to Dr Dharmapuram and his team for giving my child a new life.”