Cardiology

Pacemaker Implantation Surgery conducted on a Baby

A 15-hour-old newborn baby successfully underwent pacemaker implantation surgery by a team at the Wockhardt Paediatric & Congenital Heart Center, Mumbai, recently. The surgery was conducted by Dr Suresh Joshi, Consultant Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon. This is the youngest baby to have undergone this surgery.

The baby (name withheld) had a rare heart rhythm anomaly detected by the obstetrician taking care of the mother during pregnancy. Because of the rhythm abnormality, the baby's heart rate was very slow—around 40 beats/minute against a normal of 120 beats/minute. A slow heart rate causes severe heart failure and can be life threatening if not treated immediately. The parents were counseled by the paediatric cardiologists about the baby's condition and management options. They were explained that an artificial rhythm maker (pacemaker) is a must to get the baby's heart rate in the normal range. The sooner the pacemaker is placed, the better is the chance that the baby survives.

Soon after the birth, the baby was immediately shifted to Wockhardt Hospitals through a specialised ambulance by the team of paediatric cardiac intensivists and cardiologists who were present at the time of the delivery.
The newborn, which also had a hole in the heart, underwent successful pacemaker implantation surgery along with the closure of the hole (PDA closure).

The child has recovered successfully after the surgery and is recuperating well. Dr Joshi said, "The condition was similar to the condition of an adult heart that needed a pacemaker. In this particular case, Microny II SR+ pacemaker, the world's smallest, single-chamber rate-responsive pulse generator was used to suit the newborn." This is the most ideal situation of how a newborn with heart problem can be treated at a super-speciality care center, added Dr Joshi.

EH News Bureau