Baby Dianna, from Mauritius, was successfully operated for a complex heart problem at the Apollo Hospital in Navi Mumbai when she was just 15-days old, after she was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart disease.
Dianna was born on July 28 in Mauritius with cyanosis, a condition where colour of the skin turns blue or grey in colour. She was eventually diagnosed with valvular pulmonary atresia — a defect of the heart where the valve that controls blood flow from the heart to the lungs doesn’t open at all.
With the help of Mauritian government, Dianna was flown to Mumbai on August 12. At the hospital she was stabilised and in less than 24 hours she was readied for the cardiac procedure. But, before it could start, she suffered a cardiac arrest, which needed immediate shock treatment.
In the last 16 months, Apollo Hospital, Navi Mumbai, has treated over 60 children from Mauritius. The lead doctor of the case, Dr. Bhushan Chavan said: “As her condition deteriorated, she was referred for further clinical management by the Mauritius government. Her condition was grim, with no response to these treatments, so temporary pacemaker was inserted as a last resort which kept the heart beating , at the rate of 150/min.”
Gradually, her heart regained its own rhythm and the pacemaker was removed. She was shifted to Neonatal intensive care unit. Over the next 10 days, she overcame all neonatal problems, including acute kidney failure.
Once Dianna was stabilised, Dr. Bhushan Chavan went ahead with the procedure to open up the defective pulmonary valve that had caused the cardiac arrest.
Santosh Marathe, COO & Unit Head, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, said, “congenital Heart Disease (CHD) affects around 8 in every 1,000 babies. The rising numbers has become a major concern and with the growing pandemic there is bigger threat to those at risk.”
“Baby Dianna will definitely become near normal for life as the open valve through intervention has opened up the natural pathway. She needs only to follow up and will lead a normal life without restrictions,” Dr. Chavan added.
