Paediatric Cardiac Surgery in India

Children's heart surgery is necessary to tackle heart problems that a child has since birth (also known as congenital heart defects); as well as cardiac disorders that a child develops after birth and that require pediatric cardiac surgery in India. The operation is essential for the child's overall health and wellness. Children need cardiac surgery to fix heart abnormalities and ensure long-term health. Immediately following delivery, surgery is necessary to correct certain cardiac abnormalities. Some procedures occur months or years after birth. The severity of the condition determines both the type of surgery and the number of procedures that need to be performed. Pediatric cardiac surgeons receive specialized education to prepare them to provide children with specialized and all-encompassing medical treatment to treat heart conditions and correct heart defects. A pediatric heart surgeon possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to treat your child if your child requires surgery to address an issue with their heart. Also, they provide the specialized care that is essential for correcting both congenital (present at birth) and acquired (developed later in life) heart conditions in children. Moreover, pediatric heart surgeons handle patients of all ages. They include newborns, children, adolescents, and even adults, who have complex congenital heart problems. Congenital heart defects differ from adult heart disease. Fixing hearts in animals with little space provides an additional hurdle. Pediatric cardiac surgeons have the specialized training required to give the highest level of care to patients of every age, including the very young and very young patients who require surgery on their hearts.

How extensive is the training that is required to become a pediatric heart surgeon?

At a minimum, four years of training in a medical school.

A residency program in general surgery that lasts for five years.

A cardiothoracic (heart/chest) residency program that lasts for two to three years and typically involves training in pediatric heart surgery for a period of six months.

Additional training in pediatric heart surgery ranging from two to four years' duration.

After completing their training, pediatric cardiac surgeons typically work as staff members in large pediatric heart centers for the first one to two years of their careers. In addition to this, they get a significant amount of experience because of devoting a significant portion of their practice to the treatment of children.

Some conditions which require this treatment:

• Aortopulmonary window.
• Atrial and ventricular septal defects.
• Pulmonary atresia.
• Valve repair.
• Double outlet right ventricle.
• Anomalous left coronary from the pulmonary artery.
• Atrioventricular canal.
• Tetralogy of Fallot.
• Mitral valve stenosis and regurgitation.
• Patent ductus arteriosus.

What is Open-Heart Surgery?

By "open-heart surgery," we mean heart procedures that necessitate the use of heart-lung bypass equipment. Bypassing the heart and lungs, the heart-lung machine delivers oxygenated blood to the body. Cardioplegia helps halt the heart. A cold, high-potassium solution helps induce cardioplegia. While the heart stops, it also protects this mechanism. To open and mend the heart, a bloodless, calm atmosphere must be created. When using the cardiopulmonary bypass equipment, it is possible to operate on the heart while it is still beating but drained of blood. There are times when a repair is done on one side of the heart .But there are no holes between the two sides.

How to Get Your Child Ready for an Open-Heart Procedure

Patients who require open-heart surgery will have undergone a comprehensive evaluation by both the cardiologist and heart surgeon prior to the procedure. The examination will often consist of a series of things:

• Getting blood tests.
• An X-ray.
• An ECG done.
• Having an echocardiogram.
• Having a cardiac catheterization done.
• Blood is compared using a cross matching system so that it can be used in the surgery room or, if needed, to fuel the bypassing unit.

Where to find a Pediatric Cardiac surgeon?

Pediatric cardiac surgeons work either at hospitals specializing in the care of children or in larger hospitals and medical facilities that treat both parents and kids. It is necessary to have amenities and apparatus tailored specifically for youngsters. Your child's primary care physician or a pediatric cardiologist (who specializes in heart conditions) should be able to provide a referral to a pediatric cardiac surgeon.

Signs indicating that you or your child might require pediatric cardiac surgery

The evolution and severity of a congenital heart defect in a kid determine the level of severity of the associated symptoms .It can range anywhere from moderate to severe depending on whether the child needs pediatric cardiac surgery in India. When a child is born or within a few weeks of their birth, it is possible to see major warning signals that indicate the youngster may require pediatric cardiac surgery in India. Symptoms in the following are examples of these conditions.

Pale grey or blue skin tone.

Breathlessness.

Enlargement in the legs, stomach, or areas all around the eyes.

Difficulty breathing during feeding times, which leads to inadequate weight gain.

On the other hand, children with less severe forms of congenital heart disease could not show any signs until much later in life, when they are somewhat older. In addition to these symptoms, you may also experience symptoms like-

• Difficulty breathing after exercising or engaging in other forms of physical exercise.
• Exhaustion even with very modest activities.
• Passing out when exercising or participating in other activities.
• Inflammation in the arms, legs, etc.

Bottom line

Children aren't mini-adults. They can't always express themselves. They mostly can't address health-related questions or cooperate during exams. Babies and young children who need cardiac surgery need specialized care in a child-friendly environment. Pediatric heart surgeons treat newborns, toddlers, etc. These doctors diagnose heart issues and create treatment regimens during operation. Pediatric cardiologists address heart disorders in children. These surgeons may work with cardiologists, cardiac anesthesiologists, neonatologists, critical care nurses, health workers, and social workers. These specialists can care for your kid throughout the pediatric cardiac surgery in India. If your child's pediatrician recommends a pediatric cardiac surgeon or pediatric cardiologist, these experts will review treatment options and probable results alongside you. You can trust them to deliver the best treatment alternatives for your baby.