Vijayawada: 9 free heart surgeries done by UK doctors

Vijayawada: As many as nine children have been operated for heart ailments, free of cost, by the team of Healing Little Hearts (HLH), UK, since Nov. 27.
The surgeries will continue for two more days. The HLH team has been performing the surgeries at the paediatric cardiology and cardiac surgical camp. The organisers spoke to the media on Thursday.

A 13-member doctor team from world famous faciltiies like Glenfield Hospital, Leicester & Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, Monaldi Hospital, Italy, Malpighi Hospital, Italy, have been performing the surgeries. They would do at least 14 heart surgeries this week. The team, led by Dr. Sanjiv Nichani from UK & Dr. Vikram from Andhra Hospitals, has planned to do all complex heart surgeries, including atrial septal defect with complications, ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus with complications, total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage, Fallot’s tetralogy and other severe complex heart diseases.

Dr. P.V. Ramana Murthy, managing director, Andhra Hospitals, said that they have been performing heart surgeries on children, free of cost, for the last two years. Complex heart surgeries with the help of HLH, UK. He said they can do more surgeries, if they get support from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Dr. P. V. Rama Rao, chief of Children’s Services, said that nearly 100 pc success rate was possible only because of the team effort. Dr Sanjiv Nichani, Dr Vikram, Dr Guido Oppido, Dr Giovanbattista Capozzi, Dr Capucine, Dr  Sharmila, Dr Mumtaz, Alessandra, Judith Ann, Angeli Arroyo, Tessa Shewan and others were present.