Saving lives Brahmananda Narayana Hrudayalaya in Tamolia

Jamshedpur, Aug. 3: Destiny had given her 25 years to live, doctors have extended her life

expectancy to 70 years.

In a major leap in cardiac treatment, a hospital in Tamolia has conducted the state’s first successful operation to cure blue baby syndrome on nine-year-old Astuti Kumari.

A team of cardiac surgeons at Brahmananda Narayana Hrudayalaya on NH-33 took six hours on July 24 to give little Astuti, a resident of Tatisilwai in Ranchi, a fresh lease of life.

The child had Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), a congenital heart defect classically understood to involve four anatomical abnormalities. It is the most common cyanotic heart defect that causes bluish coloration of skin, nails, lips and tongue.

Astuti was first taken to Bangalore, but a huge rush there delayed her treatment and her parents brought her to Tamolia. “The child had a hole in the heart, besides obstructed blood flow to lungs because of underdeveloped arteries,” explained cardiac surgeon Perwaiz Alam, who along with anaesthetist Vikash Toshniwal and team conducted the surgery last month.

According to Alam, Astuti’s defective arteries have been reconstructed, stenosis or obstruction removed and the hole plugged.

Doctors said the child would lead a normal life now. Her earlier life expectancy of 25 years has been extended too. She will only be required to continue post-operative medicines for six weeks.

At Rs 1.17 lakh, the surgery was luxury for Astuti’s middle class family. Her father, a Usha Martin employee and beneficiary of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), said: “I thank doctors and ESIC. My daughter will live long, I have no regrets.”

Medical statistics reveal that every year more than 200 TOF cases are reported in India. The mortality rate is 50 per cent. Most under-12 cardiac patients suffer from congenital disorder and if they are operated on before the age of five they have better chances of recovering.