Children with heart defect get new lease of life

BANGALORE: Bharathi, a mother of two-month-old Manju, who is suffering from congenital heart defects, is worried about the current state of her son’s health, but at the same time she is also glad that unlike her second child, who succumbed to a similar heart defect, her third child will receive timely treatment at the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research during the two days ‘National Live Workshop on Congenital and Structural Heart Diseases’. Amongst all the patients, Manju is the youngest which according to the cardiologists is the most complex case as well. His procedure was scheduled for Saturday.After nine days of Manju’s birth, Bharathi noticed that his eyes, nails, tongue and face were turning blue. “I did not want to take a chance this time. My second child lost his life, as he could not receive timely treatment. But after I came to know about these developmental defects of my third child, we brought him here. He has been provided treatment for free of cost,” said Bharathi from Chikamangulur districts.Similarly, four-year-old Hadeese Fathima from Hassan, who on any physical exertion used to bleed from the nose and was later diagnosed of congenital heart disease, will also get a new lease on life at the hospital.A porter by profession, her father, was not able to afford the cost of the treatment.Consequently she was brought to the Jayadeva for a free procedure during the workshop.More interestingly, these congenital heart defects and structural heart diseases will be closed without surgery by the umbrella technique. In this procedure, the umbrella devices are inserted through the leg veins and heart holes will be closed under the XRay guidance.The advantages of this technique is that there is no blood transfusion, no scar on the chest wall and less hospital stay.Emphasising on early intervention, Dr C N Manjunath, Director, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research said that with the rise in congenital heart disease among children, cardiac check up should be made mandatory in schools specially during admission time.As many as 30 children from various states, including West Bengal, Jharkand are scheduled for free of cost procedures at the hospital.K H Gopalakrishne Gowda, Principal secretary, Health and Family Welfare department inaugurated the workshop.