Mohammed Jishan, a 8 year old boy from Bangladesh arrived blue and sick- suffering from a congenital condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. The parents had limited funds and the ASHF assisted the patient with donations to enable the child to undergo urgent heart surgery. The child had an uneventful recovery and has returned safely to Bangladesh. He should be able to lead a normal life and get back to school!
Mohammed Moimeen, a 16 year old boy from Bangladesh, walked into the OP of Dr Neville Solomon in severe heart failure due to a condition called constrictive pericarditis secondary to tuberculosis. He was evaluated by Dr Prasad, our pediatric cardiologist, and referred for urgent surgery. The parents were poor and they had limited funds. The Apollo Children’s Hospital agreed to the surgery at a discounted rate and the ASHF partially sponsored the surgery. The surgery was performed by Dr Ganapathy and Ms Kothai on a Sunday as it was considered urgent. Our pediatric cardiac anaesthetists, Dr Shapna and Dr Sriram, provided expert anaesthesia patiently (the surgery lasted 8 hours as the pericardium was severely adherent to the heart)! Even the right lung was affected and need decortication. The patient had a smooth postoperative recovery and it was a joy to see him come for follow-up totally cured and active! A special thanks to our kind donors, the team and the Apollo Children’s Hospital management for making a change in the life of this child.”
Smigda, a 14 year old girl born with no pulmonary valve, had undergone B-T shunt as a 2 year old. She underwent redo sternotomy, VSD closure and RV-PA conduit. She has improved and has been discharged.
“The ASHF helps out child with severe heart failure.”
(Graft from ascending aorta via right pleura tunnelled via diaphragm to the abdominal aorta, 320-slice CT showing extensive damage to the aorta ,The abdominal component of the surgery)
Meet Jaiswal, a one and a half year old child, presented to us with bilateral pulmonary artery stenosis, free PR and severe RV dysfunction following TOF repair. He required redo surgery, bilateral PA plasty and RV-PA conduit. The procedure went off uneventfully and the child is doing well with an excellent repair. The conduit was sponsored by the ASHF.
“Nivedha, is a little girl from Madurai referred to Dr Neville Solomon for heart surgery. The child was suffering from a complex condition called TOF with pulmonary atresia. The child was born with no pathway to the lungs and hence, was very blue and deprived of oxygen. The ASHF purchased the pulmonary valve for the child. The child underwent surgery successfully and has returned to Madurai.”
Anushka, a 3 month old baby presented to us with severe LV dysfunction. The EF (pumping power of the heart) was only 15%. The child was having an acute myocardial infarction due to ALCAPA (anomalous origin of the left coronary from the pulmonary artery). This was identified and diagnosis confirmed by our pediatric cardiologist, Dr Muthukumaran. The ASHF and the SACHI trust contributed to the child as she needed emergency surgery. The team went ahead with the surgery on a Sunday. The child had an uneventful and well-executed surgery by Dr Neville Solomon and Dr Ganapathy and team. However, the child had a prolonged ICU stay and required tracheostomy as the heart took time to recover from the preoperative damage. The child finally recovered and was discharged after a month. The photo shows the child coming for follow-up with heart showing signs of recovery. A big thank you to the cardiologists (Dr Muthukumaran, Dr Prasad Manne), anaesthetists (Dr Shapna, Dr Sriram), Intensivists (Dr Suchitra and team), Perfusionists (Mr Sundara Rajan, Senthil), PA (Ms Kothai) and the entire team of doctors, nurses and technicians for sending home the child alive and well. Our gratitude to the Apollo Children’s Hospital management (admin and finance) for the all the support provided.
“The pediatric cardiac team at Apollo Children’s Hospital, Chennai reached out to over 1000 children with heart disease from all over the world in 2014.”
Thanks ,
Dr Neville
Anita Singh is a ten year old girl who presented to us with severe LV dysfunction and Cushing ’s disease. We discovered she had Takayasu’s arteritis and with obstructive aortic disease extending from arch of aorta to descending aorta. Her LVEF was only 15%. The parents were very poor and had come to Apollo Children’s Hospital, Chennai with much hope. The Alfred Solomon Heart Foundation stepped in to partially sponsor the high-risk procedure for the child. The surgery was a combined procedure carried out by Dr Neville Solomon, Consultant Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon, and Dr Balaji, Consultant Vascular Surgeon. A bypass graft was placed from ascending aorta to abdominal aorta thereby offloading the LV. She had an uneventful postoperative course. The LV improved significantly and at follow-up, the LVEF was 40%.
“Dinesh, a 14 year old boy walked into the OP of Apollo Children’s Hospital, in overt heart failure due to a serious condition called constrictive pericarditis wherein the membrane around the heart is thickened and stuck around the heart thereby restricting the movements. The father was penniless and could raise only Rs 40,000/-. The ASHF contributed Rs 50,000/- and Apollo Children’s kindly gave a huge discount. Dr Solomon and Dr Ganapathy performed the surgery (total pericardiectomy) and the child’s life experienced a miraculous turnaround in 3 magical hours. The Apollo team of doctors, nurses and administrators were excellent and supportive. The child was discharged on Day 4.”