Congenital heart diseases are the most common genetic malformations that have a significant impact on neonatal morbidity and mortality, according to K.M. Cherian, renowned cardio-thoracic surgeon.
Delivering the presidential address at the Foetal Cardiology and Foetal Cardiac Morphology conference held at Adoor on Monday, Dr. Cherian said foetal cardiology was a fast developing sub-speciality of paediatric cardiology.
C. Jayakumar, Professor of Paediatrics at Kottayam Government Medical College and State president of the National Neonatal Forum, inaugurated the conference. Dr. Jayakumar stressed the need for combined efforts by neonatologists, obstetricians and foetal cardiologists to give better care to pregnant women with congenital cardiac diseases.
Addressing the inaugural function, Saji Philip, organising secretary, said the conference was the first of its kind to be held in Central Travancore.
Vikas Kohli, chief paediatric cardiologist at BLK Hospital, New Delhi, delivered a talk on various rhythm disorders of the foetus and its management.
A live foetal cardiac scan was demonstrated by Prathima R, foetal medicine expert from Bangalore.
Nageswara Rao from Hyderbad delivered a lecture on foetal cardiac intervention and management of foetal hydrops. It was Dr. Rao who had
done the first foetal cardiac intervention in India. He said it was possible to open the stenotic aortic valve in-utero and various possibilities to treat cardiac diseases in-utero.
V.H. Sankar, Additional Professor of Paediatrics from Thiruvananthapuram, and Bijoy Balakrishnan, foeto-maternal specialist from Kochi, spoke on various chromosomal anomalies frequently seen and different prenatal diagnostic tests available in India.
Balu Vaidyanathan from Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi, Bijilal Sasidharan from Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram, and Prashanth Bobhate, from Kokilaben Dhirubai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, spoke on various topics related to foetal cardiology.
The St. Gregorios Cardio-Vascular Centre at Parumala hosted the meet.
