Coimbatore hospital saves 1.7-kg newborn with rare heart surgery
The Kovai Medical Center and Hospital (KMCH) in Coimbatore has successfully performed a complex open-heart surgery on a premature baby girl weighing just 1.7 kilograms. The infant, one of twins, was born at 33 weeks of gestation and had been diagnosed before birth with transposition of the great arteries (TGA), a congenital heart defect where the two main arteries leaving the heart are connected to the wrong chambers.
TGA is a life-threatening condition that prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching the body. Without timely intervention, it can be fatal. In this case, the baby's oxygen saturation levels dropped significantly in the days after her birth, prompting doctors to perform surgery earlier than initially planned.
The procedure, known as an arterial switch operation, involved reconnecting the major arteries and transferring the coronary arteries to their correct positions. According to the hospital, the surgery lasted approximately eight hours, including 233 minutes on cardiopulmonary bypass and 130 minutes of aortic cross-clamping. The team was led by senior consultant paediatric cardiac surgeon K.S. Murthy and included specialists from multiple disciplines.
Dr. Murthy noted that performing such a complex operation on a baby with extremely low birth weight and prematurity is rare. The baby's size and underdeveloped organs made the procedure technically demanding. He said, “Operating on a 1.7-kg neonate requires precision and a well-coordinated team, and we are pleased with the outcome.”
The hospital also revealed that the baby's parents could not afford the treatment, and KMCH bore the entire cost of the surgery and care. This decision reflects the institution's commitment to providing essential medical care regardless of a patient's financial background. The hospital did not disclose the exact cost but emphasised that no financial burden was placed on the family.
According to the latest update, the baby is recovering well, taking normal feeds, and is expected to be discharged soon. The hospital said the infant would need regular follow-up checks to monitor her heart function and overall development, but the immediate prognosis is positive.
Congenital heart defects affect a significant number of newborns in India, and timely diagnosis through prenatal screening is critical to successful outcomes. The case underscores the importance of advanced paediatric cardiac care in Tier-2 cities like Coimbatore, which is increasingly becoming a hub for such specialised treatments.
While the hospital's announcement did not include long-term outcome data, experts say survival rates for arterial switch operations in high-volume centres have improved dramatically over the past two decades, even for low-birth-weight infants. However, each case remains unique, and the success depends on the baby's overall health and the presence of any other anomalies.
This success story highlights both the progress of medical science and the compassionate approach of healthcare providers in making treatments accessible to disadvantaged families. As the baby prepares to go home, the KMCH team's dedication serves as a reminder of the critical role of skilled surgeons and support staff in saving the most vulnerable lives.
