The field of paediatrics is broad, focusing on various heart-related conditions and treatments for children from birth to 18 years old. Medical professionals who specialise in managing these conditions are known as paediatric cardiac surgeons or paediatric cardiologists.

They specialise in treating conditions as minimal as heart murmurs and as complex as ventricular septal defects. Some of the key areas which fall under this field are:

  • Congenital Heart Disease (CHD)
  • Foetal Cardiology
  • Interventional Cardiology
  • Heart Failure and Transplantation
  • Critical Care Cardiology

Pediatric Surgeon Dr. Kulbhushan Singh Dagar, who is well known for his contribution to this field, visited Vaidam's office. With more than 37 years of experience, he shared his extensive surgical knowledge of paediatric cardiology. Currently working with Max Hospital, Saket, New Delhi, he has performed thousands of paediatric cardiac surgeries to date.

Key Takeaways from the Session

Congenital Heart Disease Incidence

Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are the most prevalent congenital disabilities, affecting approximately 8-12 out of every 1,000 live births in India. This translates to roughly 2,40,000 children born with CHD annually, contributing to around 10% of infant mortality nationwide.

How to Suspect CHD

Dr. Kulbhushan explained the major symptoms of a congenital heart disease, which generally are:

  • Feeding Difficulty
  • Poor Weight Gain
  • Excessive Sweating
  • Tachycardia
  • Repeated LRTI
  • Cardiomegaly
  • Irritability

The doctor also explained that if a child shows signs of blueness, it may indicate cyanosis, a medical condition in which the amount of oxygen bound to haemoglobin in red blood cells decreases. Cyanosis can also cause heart and lung problems, so you should get your child checked right away.

The 1-year survival rate for cyanosis is 70%, and 90% of CHD can be diagnosed with an echocardiogram alone, but if somehow the diagnosis is not successful, then a CT Angiography is considered.

Weight and CHD Surgery

Not everyone with congenital heart disease (CHD) needs to be concerned about weight before surgery; it should only be considered after consulting with a doctor and assessing the severity of the condition.

Challenges Treating Valve Disease in Pediatrics

The doctor explained some of the most common challenges he faces when operating on a paediatric for valve disease are:

  • Small size with limited access
  • Limitation of small prosthesis for mitral valve repair
  • Hemodynamic instability
  • Need for growth
  • The structural integrity of the tissue

Ectopia cordis

A serious condition where a child's heart bulges out of the rib cage and is visible. To treat this condition, professionals from various specialities, such as cosmetics and anaesthesia, are required.

Berlin Heart

It is a type of ventricular assist device used when a child's heart is unable to pump blood effectively. The device consists of a pump, a battery pack, and a controller. The pump circulates blood throughout the body, taking over the work of the weakened heart.

Tricuspid Atresia

It is a rare congenital condition where the tricuspid valve of the heart gets malfunctioned. It is responsible for the control of the blood flow between the right atrium and right ventricle.

Dr. Kulbhushan ended the session with an interesting Q&A round, which solved many of our team's queries. We are truly thankful that he spared his valuable time and explained thoroughly what the paediatric cardiac surgery field is all about.

His ability to explain the complexities of cardiology in a very simple manner is stunning. He also presented many case studies during the session. We hope he will visit the Vaidam office soon and further expand our knowledge of this growing field.