A Mother’s Love
On November 11, 1996 I gave birth to my handsome son, Delmar Davis (DJ). After 12 hours of trying to be induced, the doctors grew concern that with each contraction, Delmar’s heart beat began to fade. The decision was made to perform a C-section at 11:00pm. Delmar was born at 11:11pm. When he was born I only heard one short cry and saw the nurses take away a blue baby. I began to panic and the doctors were able to put me to sleep before I got too carried away. I woke up the next morning with a doctor in my room waiting to talk to me. He informed me that my son was born with a heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot. I did not understand what that meant so I asked, “Will he die?” I was told that he would need surgery between the ages of 3 and 6 months in order to survive.
RAVI’S BLOG-CARDIOLOGY AND CARDIAC SURGERY IN INDIA
Introduction. By Pierantonio Russo, MD, FAAP, Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery-July 2010
Medical standards have advanced very rapidly in India over the past 25 years, particularly in cardiology and cardiac surgery. The rising middle class, the solid economic growth (9% GDP/year), the nearly universal coverage provided through government insurance, growing access to private insurance and the presence in India of employees from US and other western companies, particularly in Chennai, have triggered an explosive demand of modern health care services and hospital beds. Currently, an estimated 6 million patients need cardiac surgery in India and the number of total cardiac operations has increased to 70-80 thousands per year. In my several visits to India on behalf of GOLI, I found that there are about 1,000 cardiac surgeons in India, practicing at about 175 centers. However, the number of well equipped hospitals to meet current needs of patients requiring cardiac surgery need to grow. In selected private, “corporate”, hospitals, cardiology and cardiac surgery procedures are practiced with excellent results. Some of these selected Centers, are accredited by the international branch of the JCAHO (JCI). The JCAHO is a branch of the agency that reviews hospital standards in the US and certify that the hospitals meet quality standards. JCI accredited hospitals in India, now treat international patients, including American citizens, under the banner of “international tourism”. Some USA health care plans, (for example, Well Point) have included some of these hospitals within their extended network.
Trip to Chennai, India
India is the seventh largest and second most populated Country in the world (population,one billion) and enjoys a history dating back 7,000 years. Currently, India is an emerging economic power, where contrast between old and new is evident at every corner.
India still faces formidable challenges, especially poverty, educational and health care issues. Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria and cardiovascular disease are now the primary causes of death thought India. The health care system is based on government hospitals and clinics and a rapidly growing private sector. Ayurveda, the traditional medicine and science based on religious beliefs is still practiced in some areas.
Click here to read full article
Striving for precision in paediatric care
“What India lacks and the West has is expertise in local clinics to help patients recover”
Simply operating on children with holes in their hearts in India is not enough for Dr. Pierantonio Russo. Ensuring successful surgery means raising standards of healthcare across the board. Dr. Russo, who has 20 years of experience in adult and paediatric cardiac surgery, talks to Sarah Hiddleston about how developing countries can avoid the healthcare learning curve and about the future of heart treatment.
The Clubs in Action
The greatest gift of all…
Milena peeks shyly around her mother as the doctors pore over her medical history and test results. She is only three years old, but Milena is living on borrowed time. The tiny girl was born with two holes in her heart: each day, her heart and circulatory system have to work a little harder to overcome the deficiency. She needs a gift few can give her- the gift of life.
Click Here to read the full article.
The Perfusionist: Role in Surgery for Children with Congenital Heart Disease
- A Heart Lung Bypass Machine
Perfusion as related to cardiac surgery can be defined as the movement of oxygenated blood through blood vessels to vital organs of the body. Under normal circumstances the heart is the pump which propels the blood to the lungs, where oxygen and CO2 are exchanged. Blood enriched of oxygen and depleted of CO2 is then pumped to the body’s organs in order to keep them functioning properly. In cases where the heart has a defect and cannot perform the function of pumping blood, cardiac surgery must be performed to correct the congenital defect. In order to perform this type of surgery the heart must be stopped so that the cardiovascular surgeon can open the heart and repair the defect. Therefore the perfusionist is responsible for providing mechanical perfusion for the patient while the heart is stopped. Utilizing a complex piece of equipment, the heart and lung machine (HLM), the perfusionist can pump oxygenated blood to the patient’s organs temporarily taking place of both the heart and lungs. This is called placing a patient on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
Pediatric Heart Surgery in Romania
The “Flight For Life” pediatric heart team went to Romania to help children with highly-complicated cardiac birth defects. By Donald R. Winslow a photojournalist’s portfolio. Click here to view pictures.
A Family’s Very Special “Thank You”
On behalf of our son, we will always be grateful for what you did as you have given him his life back when you and your team performed surgery on him two years ago.
Dragos now has a bright future ahead of him and this is what our son is today and it is all thanks to you.
God bless you for what you are doing, and always realize that you bring smiles on other people’s faces and tears of joy in other grateful eyes.
Eternal gratitude,
Dragos, Marcel and Geta Tuluc, from Cluj-Napoca, Romania
