Date:28/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/28/stories/2008092859460700.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Meet on congenital heart disease inaugurated

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: A two-day workshop on treatment of tetralogy of fallot (TOF), a congenital heart disease, with updated techniques was inaugurated at CARE Hospital, Banjara Hills, here on Saturday.

About 90 specialists and trainees in cardiology, cardiac surgery, cardiac anaesthesia, intensive care and paediatrics are involved in interactions at the workshop on a single disease that affects a large population of children.

The panel of specialists who shared their experiences included K.M. Cherian of Frontier Lifeline Hospital, Chennai, who performed the first coronary bypass surgery in 1973.

The delegates were given a live demonstration of surgery in six critical cases.

TOF is a combination of four diseases – hole in the heart, obstruction to the blood flow from heart to lungs, increased thickness of right ventricular muscle because of obstruction and overriding of aorta (pure and impure blood going to body), according to B.S. Murthy, workshop secretary.

He told reporters that the surgery for TOF involved use of heart-lung machine for cardio pulmonary bypass and to take over functioning of heart and lungs.

Thereafter, the heart chamber was opened to repair the defect.

The machine was withdrawn after normal heart beat was restored.