Dubai: Elisse Eva underwent a successful PDA closure with cardiac catheterisation at one year and eight months of age at Zulekha Hospital Dubai on 18th September 2019. Elisse, born in Zulekha Hospital, had slow weight gain after birth and an additional sound in her heart. This raised suspicion of a congenital heart defect during her recent follow up with the doctor at the hospital. An Echocardiography was done for her to identify the cardiac defect, when the patent ductus arterious ( PDA) was identified. Although this defect may not have significant symptoms and signs, it gradually increases the risk of an enlarged heart, results in slow weight gain, repeated chest infections, progressively increasing lung pressure and increases chances of infection in the heart which can be fatal.

Dr Nilesh Oswal, Consultant Pediatric Cardiology said, “While heart catheterisations in children are common across the global, as a private hospital in UAE we are glad to be one of the first hospitals to have carried out such a procedure successfully in a young child for closure of the PDA with a device.. We consider closing the defect by cardiac catheterization only if it persists beyond six months or earlier, depending on symptoms. With greater awareness and advanced skills to diagnose and treat these defects, we see more such patients coming up for these procedures. In UK, where I was trained, patients are treated earlier even before six months to prevent future complications.”

The cardiac catheterisation does involve risks and in this case the smaller size of the arteries had to be managed very sensitively. Dr. Oswal needed to ensure the child is fit for the procedure and he had to carefully insert a plastic tube and wires inside the heart through the blood vessels, judiciously overseeing the patient, as this can damage heart structures in small children. Zulekha Hospital Dubai is also equipped with state-of-the-art specific equipment for procedures in children to treat such defects.

Elisse’s parents Leonard and Maylin said, “We were nervous and worried about the diagnosis and procedure for Elisse, but after counseling and clear explanations of risks and benefits of procedure, we were confident to go ahead with the procedure. We are very thankful to the medical team for taking care of our child’s defect and assuring us of her healthy life ahead.”

Until birth, the oxygen for an infant comes from the mother and since there is no need for blood to pass through the lungs of the fetus, the blood is diverted away from the lungs, to the rest of the body, by an artery called the ductus arteriosus. Once a baby is born and takes their first breath, the ductus arteriosus is no longer needed and begins to close.

Under normal circumstances, the ductus arteriosus is completely closed in the first three days of life to a month. In some children, it remains open for unknown reason beyond this period. It has been observed that due to certain viral infections in the mother during pregnancy such as Rubella, PDA may not close after birth.

These procedures take about an hour and the patients are discharged in the next 24-48 hours. Patients can back go to school after a week and carry on routine activities with ease. Healthcare advancements today have made PDAs treatable with low risk minimal invasive key-hole procedures and it is now considered as standard mode of treatment.

About Zulekha Healthcare Group www.zulekhahospitals.com

Zulekha Healthcare Group is a Superbrand and among the forerunners in UAE healthcare. Today the Zulekha Healthcare Group includes two multidisciplinary hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah, as well as four UAE medical centres and three pharmacies providing specialised treatments in over 30 disciplines. The group also has a multidisciplinary hospital in India - Alexis. Zulekha Hospital has received extensive recognition for its commitment towards quality care and sustainable business practices, and recently received the prestigious Dubai Quality Award for the second time in four years, underling a commitment to providing high quality healthcare to patients and society.