AIIMS doctors perform complex surgery on foetus' grape-size heart in mother's womb

New Delhi, March 15

A team of doctors from AIIMS here have successfully performed a complex surgery on grape-size heart of foetus and reshaped it inside a mother’s womb.

The 28-year-old pregnant woman who had suffered three miscarriages was crestfallen when she was informed about the heart condition of the foetus in her womb, doctors at the hospital said.

However, the woman was determined to continue with the pregnancy and agreed to allow the doctors carry out the procedure on the foetus’ heart.

“A team of interventional cardiologists along with doctors from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS performed the procedure termed balloon dilation in the obstructed valve of the heart.

Under the procedure which was performed under the guidance of ultrasound, a needle was inserted in the heart of the foetus and then using a balloon catheter, the obstructed valve was unclogged,” a senior doctor said.

“The whole procedure had to be done very swiftly. It was very challenging. We managed to do it in around one-and-half minutes,” the doctor said.

“With this reshaping procedure, hopefully the foetus’ heart will develop better. Both the foetus and the mother are stable and are being monitored closely,” the doctor added.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, “I congratulate the team of doctors of @AIIMS_NewDelhi for performing successful rare procedure on grape size heart of a fetus in 90 seconds. My prayers for the well-being of the baby and the mother.”