HYDERABAD: The NIMS and Little Hearts Foundation provided a life-saving opportunity for 18 children during their Pediatric Cardiac Surgery camp.
Held from September 23-28 at NIMS, the camp focused on complex congenital heart surgeries for children aged between 14 days and 10 years, weighing from 2 kg to 18 kg.
A 12-member visiting team, led by Dr. Ramana Dhannapuneni from Alder Hey Hospitals in Liverpool, included healthcare professionals from the USA, Abu Dhabi, Italy, and Portugal.
Notable achievements of the camp included the successful surgery of a 2 kg infant, the establishment of protocols for table extubation post-surgery without the need for a ventilator in the ICU, and improved post-operative care protocols.
The camp also saw approximately 700 outpatient department (OPD) patients over six days, with around 50 referred to the Cardiology department for device closures. Additionally, about 100 patients received counseling for regular follow-ups on their heart conditions, and surgery dates were scheduled for nearly 450 patients.
Dr. Amaresh Rao Malempati, Professor and Head of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at NIMS, along with Dr Praveen D, Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon and Assistant Professor in the same department, emphasized the urgent need for capacity building in treating heart conditions. “Telangana has a birth rate of approximately 16.4 per 1,000. Around 6,000 children are born with congenital defects in the state. Given the backlog of patients and our service to neighbouring states, the demand for treatment is tremendous.”