Children with complex congenital heart diseases screened during camp in Kargil got their surgery done at Paras Hospitals, Gurugram

• 50 children were diagnosed to have structural Congenital Heart defect
• Paras Hospital, Gurugram operated 7 kids in the month of August 2022
• Patients went home with happiness and satisfaction, being cured of cardiac defects

Gurugram, September 29, 2022: The Paediatric Cardiac Science Department of Paras Hospitals, Gurugram in association with Dream for Change Foundation and in collaboration with LAHDC (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil) organized a 3-day Cardiac Camp from 7th to 9th July 2022 at the 300 bedded District Hospital Kurbathang, Kargil. The noble initiative was taken to help the underprivileged people and children of the war zone-affected area, Kargil, regarding heart disease diagnosis and treatments. 

Among the 300 patients which were evaluated by Dr Mahesh Wadhwani, Chief- Cardiac Surgery & HOD – Pediatric and Adult Cardiac Surgery, Paras Hospitals, Gurugram and Dr Deepak Thakur, Consultant-Pediatric Cardiology, Paras Hospitals, Gurugram around 50 children with suspected congenital heart diseases were evaluated out of which 20 children had Congenital heart diseases and 7 required early open heart surgery and cardiac interventions to salvage little life’s and make their survival healthy. The spectrum of heart disease in children were varied like simple heart defect requiring medical management and complex congenital heart defects which requires early surgery to give them 1 time complete cure and prevent their progression to inoperable state of heart defect.  It was complicated to make parents and guidance understand the complications but the doctors took it patiently to suggest immediate cardiac surgery and intervention for the seven vulnerable cases at Paras Hospital Gurugram. 

Cardiac surgeries in children are often recommended to repair any heart defects for the child’s long-term well-being. In some cases, immediate actions are required depending on the severity of the case. The mentioned seven cases were such. However, Cardiac Surgeon and Paediatric cardiologist at Paras completed the interventions with a 100% success rate. 

Commenting on the camp’s initiatives by Dr Mahesh Wadhwani, Chief- Cardiac Surgery & HOD – Pediatric and Adult Cardiac, Paras Hospitals, Gurugram said, “The cardiac camp initiative in Kargil by Paras Hospitals, Gurugram has helped a lot of patients there who otherwise would have suffered miserably from one city to another in search of proper diagnosis. There were cases of having a hole in the heart among children and this led to a shocking loss in their weight. We came across one-year-old babies weighing 5-6 kgs and 15-16 years old with a weight of around 25-30 kgs. From having a hole in the heart (Patent Ductus Arteriosis) to complex cyanotic heart diseases, their conditions were miserable and we are proud to say that all these babies underwent successful open-heart surgery and interventions. The patients were discharged within a week and are back to their normal life.” 

Dr. Deepak Thakur, Consultant Pediatric and Fetal cardiology, Paras Hospitals Gurugram, said:  We are blessed by Almighty with such knowledge and skills that we got this opportunity to serve the nation by doing these noble procedures on the babies from Kargil. It was a mammoth task to evaluate 300 patients in 3 days, make proper diagnosis and offering them best management plan (surgery/ Intervention) to give them complete one time cure from the heart defects. It was challenge for us as we had patients from age of  6 month to 16 years with varied heart conditions to treat on. But our team at Paras Hospital showed the Dedictaion and great will to compete the Interventions  and send all babies back home healthy with 100% success rate. 

Dr Sameer Kulkarni, Regional Director, Paras Hospitals Gurugram, said: “Heart diseases in children are common in hilly areas and many a time parents are not aware of the situation till it is too late. If a child is unable to gain proper weight and is having trouble doing day-to-day tasks like walking, running or speaking, parents must rush to the nearest healthcare centre. We noticed that there is still a lack of a healthy lifestyle, hygiene being an important factor. Unlike urban areas, these places do not lack good food but ignoring hygiene and regular check-up can increase serious issues, especially in children. Our initiative was to help diagnose and treat patients suffering from cardiac defects. Though we came across a lot of complicated cases, the camp concluded with positive remarks, sending the patients and their loved ones with a smile on their faces. Doctors and nurses were proud of how they were helpful to underprivileged people. Paras Hospital once again was an example of giving back to society.”

Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)