Congenital heart defects common among children
Tirupati | Friday, Nov 20 2009 IST
 

One in every 125 babies is born with congenital heart defects, a common birth defect among children.

Talking to newspersons here, Apollo Childrens Hospital Cardio Vascular Surgeon Dr Nveille A G Solomon and Paediatric Consultant Dr S C Muthu Kumaran said the defects in newly born babies were due to genetic problems like marrying close relations and excess usage of medicines during pregnancy.

However, it could be cured if diagnosed early and through early surgery, they said.

The defects could be precisely diagnosed as early as 18 weeks of pregnancy by using new imaging modalities available now, they said.

The new 3D echo cardiogram helps to get clear perspective before surgery, Dr Solomon, who has done over 500 paediatric surgeries, said.

The 3D Transesophageal Eecho at Apollo was the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu. The Apollo Children Hospital, exclusively for children and adolescents upto the age of 16 years, was one of its kind comprehensive paediatric hospital in the country, they claimed.

A social programme SACH - the Save a Childs Heart - was conceptualized by the Apollo Hospitals with the objective of providing surgical treatment to economically deprived children with congenital and other forms of paediatric heart dieases, they said.

-- (UNI) -- 20MS61.xml

 

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