Doctors at the Aga Khan University Hospital's (AKUH) pediatric cardiac services successfully performed arterial switch operations on two infants within three weeks of their new-born life. AKUH sources giving details said both cases were born outside AKUH and brought in critical circumstances.
On being diagnosed with serious heart defects, these infants required an urgent initial procedure called "balloon atrial septostomy", which was soon followed by arterial switch operations for the two infant patients.
The cardiac procedures were carried out by AKUH's specialised team of Dr Mehnaz Atiq, Paediatric Cardiologist, Dr Muneer Amanullah, Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon, Dr Muhammad Hameed, Paediatric Cardiac Anesthesiologist, Dr Mansoor Khan, Paediatric Cardiac Anesthesiologist and Dr Anwar-ul-Haq, Paediatric Cardiac Intensivist.
Baby Amna Humayun, born on August 25, 2007, at the age of 12 hours become blue and started grunting, a result of insufficient oxygen reaching her lungs. Echocardiography was carried out, which diagnosed "d-transposition of the great arteries", in which the aorta and the pulmonary were arising from the wrong ventricle (pumping chambers of the heart). This is an emergency as it is a life threatening condition. Amna was referred to AKUH where the diagnosis was confirmed and was admitted to the hospital.
On day two of her life, she underwent the preliminary procedure of balloon atrial septostomy. This procedure creates a hole between the smaller chambers of the heart, enabling the patient to survive.
Amna was discharged on day four of her life, pending the next procedure. Admitted back on day ten of life, she successfully underwent the "arterial switch operation" the next day.
This operation enables red or clean blood to flow into the body and "blue" or unclean blood to flow into the lungs rather than the other way round. Amna Humayun was discharged on Monday September 17, 2007, at the age of 23 days. The other case was that of a boy, Abdul Khaliq Moosani, born on August 14, 2007. Again, at 12 hours of age the patient had become blue with fast breathing.