Unique heart surgery performed on six-month-old baby in Taraz
A groundbreaking operation was performed on a six-month-old baby to correct a severe heart defect in Taraz. The surgery took place at the Scientific and Clinical Center for Cardiac Surgery and Transplantology, showcasing the expertise of renowned cardiac surgeon Dmitry Gorbunov, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The regional health department reported that a master class was held at the center, featuring Dr. Gorbunov, head of the pediatric cardiac surgery department at the UMC Heart Center. Dr. Gorbunov, who specializes in treating congenital heart defects and neonatal cardiac surgery, conducted surgeries on patients with complex congenital heart defects and shared his valuable experience with local colleagues.
"An operation was performed on a six-month-old baby from the Shusky district with a diagnosis of 'congenital heart defect,'" stated Doctor Ikrom Mukhamedov, head of pediatric cardiac surgery at the center. "The child has a complex disease: a complete form of the atrioventricular canal, grade 3 atrioventricular insufficiency, atrial and ventricular septal defect, high pulmonary hypertension, and a concomitant condition - Down syndrome. The pathology was detected before birth and confirmed after birth, with ongoing observation by our attending physician, Alexandra Zelentsova."
The baby’s condition deteriorated over the past month, prompting a council of specialists, including the center’s director Seitkhan Dzhoshibaev and deputy director Ibadat Amrekulova, to recommend immediate surgical intervention.
Doctor Dmitry Gorbunov explained, "We came to Taraz with a team of three people - a surgeon, an anesthesiologist, and a perfusionist - to perform the operation on this small patient. In this particular case, the heart defect included holes in the interatrial and interventricular septa and a single common valve for both ventricles, causing enormous overload and high pulmonary pressure."
Dr. Gorbunov detailed the procedure, saying, "We conducted a radical correction of the defect, valve reconstruction, closure of defects, and division of the common valve into two independent components. The complex surgery was successful."
Experts note that such heart defects are severe, with symptoms of heart failure appearing in the first months of life, requiring constant medical support. "The heart rapidly increases in size, and the child struggles with poor eating, development issues, and frequent illnesses, often leading to pneumonia," they explained. "Previously, parents had to travel to Astana or other countries for such surgeries. Now, after this master class, residents can receive high-quality surgical treatment locally."
