A 16-month-old-infant born with her heart growing outside her body was successfully operated upon at a Hyderabad hospital.
The infant was diagnosed with pentalogy of cantrell, a rare congenital disorder that entails midline defects in the lower sternum, diaphragm, abdominal wall, pericardium and the heart. The surgery was performed by two teams of doctors and lasted for 14 hours, according to doctors at the Medicover Hospital for Women and Children.
Pentalogy of cantrell presents a major challenge due to its involving multiple organs. In this particular case, there was the added complexity of an intracardiac anomaly. The baby had a single ventricle, pulmonary atresia (absent pulmonary artery connection with the ventricle) and duct-dependent pulmonary circulation, with an initial oxygen saturation of only 63%.
Head of paediatric surgery at the hospital Madhu Mohan Reddy. B. said only 90 such cases had been reported globally. After the surgery, the baby made a complete recovery, achieving an oxygen saturation of 85-90%, tolerating full feeds and engaging in normal activities. She is ready for discharge, the hospital said.
