What Are Cardiac Surgeries?
Cardiac surgery is a procedure undertaken in children to rectify various heart conditions. Cardiac surgeries, when undertaken, provide a better outcome for the child’s health. This surgery can be performed as soon as a child is born or after a certain period of time. The time of the surgery depends on the severity of the condition. These surgeries are performed by pediatric heart surgeons who are specialized in performing such procedures.
Initially, only minimally invasive surgeries are performed. If these procedures fail, then a full-fledged surgery is considered. These surgeries can be performed with utmost precision and without any infection. However, parents can rest assured while such procedures are undertaken as the procedures are performed with utmost care.
When Does a Child Need a Heart Surgery?
Many kinds of heart diseases can occur. Most of these can be minor in nature. However, some can be major and require immediate attention. The various defects of the heart can occur inside the heart or in the various valves of the heart. Some children may require surgery immediately, whereas others can safely wait for a few weeks to months.
Some children may require just one procedure. Some defects may require a series of procedures for rectification.
What Are the Various Types of Cardiac Surgery Procedures for Children?
The three types of surgical procedures that may be undertaken to treat the various issues of the heart include-
1. Open Heart Surgery:
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Open heart surgery is a type of procedure in which a heart-lung bypass machine is used. This surgery is performed under general anesthesia (this makes the surgery painless). An incision is made on the chest following the sternum as the guide.
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Tubes are placed in the heart, and lugs connect it to an external machine. This is a specialized medical pump that helps circulate blood all over the body and also keeps the blood warm. Oxygen is also added to the blood, which helps through the rest of the. This helps the surgeon to perform the surgery in a better fashion.
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With the help of the machine, it is possible to stop the heart temporarily until the surgery is performed successfully. This bypass procedure can be useful in repairing the heart muscles, the blood vessels of the heart, and all its adjoining structures which would not have been possible otherwise. After the successful completion of the surgery, the bypass machine is removed and the function and the circulation of the heart are re-initiated. The sutures are placed so that the child is closely monitored according to prescribed medical guidelines.
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Pediatric open heart surgery is useful in treating various congenital defects of the child such as valve, septal, and defects of the chambers.
2. Thoracotomy: Thoracotomy is another type of cardiac surgery. In this type of procedure, the cut to access the internal organs is made on the side of the chest. This incision is typically made in between the ribs. This procedure is also referred to as closed heart surgery. This procedure is performed with the help of cameras and specialized instruments that can gain access to the heart with the help of this small incision. However, this procedure can be used only in the treatment of minor conditions of the heart vessels. Conditions involving the muscles of the heart cannot be treated by this method. A bypass machine may or may not be used in this procedure. This is a minimally invasive procedure when compared to the open heart surgery.
3. Cardiac Catheterization: Cardiac catheterization involves the usage of small tubes that can be that is used to treat the defects in the heart valves. In this procedure, small tubes are inserted into the valves and moved all the way up to the heart.
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This procedure is a diagnostic as well as a treatment procedure and is useful in the treatment of conditions such as arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), congenital heart diseases, and checking for narrowing of an artery.
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The child is mostly awake during the whole procedure. However, conscious sedation may be given in order to help the child stay calm.
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The catheter is usually inserted into the vein of the arm or the groin. The catheter is inserted into the body of the child and the blood vessels and the heart. Sometimes, a contrast dye may be used in order to study the structures better.
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All of this information is recorded by means of an X-ray known as fluoroscopy.
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Apart from the diagnosing purpose, this procedure helps in correcting minor defects such as lumen narrowing.
How Does a Child Recover From Cardiac Surgery?
Since pediatric cardiac surgery can be both invasive and noninvasive, the type of treatment determines the recovery. Immediately after the surgery, the child may be placed in an intensive care unit for up to a couple of days. The discharge will be dependent on the condition and the procedure performed on the child. Anywhere between six to eight weeks is considered a good recovery period. However, this too is quite subjective. It may take a month or two for the child to return to their normal activities such as playing and going to school. It is important to note that in case of any emergency, the child’s physician should be notified immediately. This may include:
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Sudden vomiting.
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Fever.
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Episodes of fainting, or unconsciousness.
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Chest pain or chest tightness.
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Skin turning blue in color.
Conclusion:
Pediatric cardiac surgery is a procedure that is undertaken to rectify certain conditions of the heart. It can be minimally invasive or open heart surgery depending on the severity of the condition. However, utmost care will be taken to bring out the best possible prognosis.
