Times of India 22-September-2003

Children With birth defects operated on

The Sagar Apollo Hospital conducted a peadiatric cardio – thoracic surgery on two children aged two and a half years and four years. They had complex birth defects. A live interactive workshop was conducted on the surgery on Sunday as part of the continuing medial education in which professional participated.

The workshop was presided by Dr.K.M. Cherian paediatric cardi-thoracic surgeon. Addressing a press conference, Dr R.Prabhakar, cardiac surgeon of Sagar Apollo, said the workshop involved live demonstration by Dr. Cherian operating on children with complex birth defects medically termed as ‘tetrology of fallot, a hole in the heart, narrowing of the artery leading to the lungs and malposition of the root of the aorta.

The children, from Mandya and north Karnataka districts, were operated upon free as they were poor. Each surgery took four hours and the children are responding well informed Dr.Prabhakar.

Dr.Cherian stressed that over 250 children in India are born with congenital heart diseases and the reasons being German Measles if contracted by the pregnant woman, malnutrition and consanguinity.