Surgeons at the 12 de Octubre Hospital correct a heart deformity in a premature baby in Burgos.

Pediatric cardiac surgeons at the 12 de Octubre Public Hospital in the Community of Madrid have successfully corrected the heart deformity of a premature baby admitted to the University Hospital of Burgos , who is currently progressing favorably. The immaturity and clinical instability of the 21-day-old baby, weighing 800 grams, made it impossible to transfer him to the hospital in the capital , so the operation had to be performed at the Castilian-Leonese hospital.

For this purpose, two pediatric experts from the Cardiac Surgery Department at the 12 de Octubre Hospital traveled to the city of Burgos . These professionals have extensive training and highly specialized training to handle highly complex cases . The operation was not performed in an operating room, but in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit itself, where the Anesthesia, Neonatology, and Nursing teams collaborated on the procedure.

The patient had a patent ductus arteriosus , a persistent opening in the two main blood vessels leading from the heart that normally closes at birth or within a few days of life. The persistence of this open area causes oxygenated and deoxygenated blood to mix, resulting in less oxygen than necessary in circulating blood. This can weaken the heart muscle and cause heart failure.

The surgical technique used, indicated for babies weighing less than 1,500 grams , in whom closure by catheterization is not possible, was ductal ligation. On this occasion, its use was essential to stabilize the baby and facilitate his respiratory management, since, being a very premature baby , his clinical condition prior to surgery was extremely serious.

The Pediatric Cardiac Surgery team at Hospital 12 de Octubre is made up of a group of leading professionals in the country, thanks to their extensive experience, the use of cutting-edge technology, and the implementation of state-of-the-art treatments .

This isn't the first time these specialists have come to Burgos Hospital to operate on a premature baby . In 2021, they also successfully operated on another baby weighing just 600 grams and 25 weeks pregnant for a similar situation.