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The Cardiothoracic Surgery team at Aga Khan University Hospital
performed a successful open heart surgery procedure on a baby weighing
under four kg. This is a major landmark in the history of cardiothoracic
surgery in Pakistan as it is the first successful open heart surgery
under cardiopulmonary bypass to be performed on such a small child
in the country. The infant is a 3.9 kg baby from Mirpurkhas who
was diagnosed to have a large ventricular septal defect and atrial
septal defect with pulmonary hypertension. A successful open heart
repair was performed two weeks ago and the baby has returned to
Mirpurkhas with his very happy parents. He is doing very well and
should be able to live a normal, healthy life no different from
any other child his age.
This feat was made possible through the astute and highly professional
help of our cardiologist, Dr. Mehnaz Atiq; team of anaesthesiologists,
especially Dr. Iqil; perfusionists Rizvi and Ejaz; technicians and
nurses; ICU nurses especially the head nurse, Laila Sukhiani; and
the entire cardiothoracic surgery team. Since last year AKU has
been routinely performing open heart surgeries on babies under five
to six kg at Aga Khan University Hospital and soon the hospital
should also be looking at neonatal open hearts.
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