Critical Heart Case: Newborn Saved with Timely PDA Intervention - Dr Supratim Sen

Mumbai: Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital, Mumbai, has successfully saved the life of a five-day-old newborn diagnosed with a critical duct-dependent congenital heart defect, through a complex cardiac intervention known as PDA stenting.

The newborn was first brought to a paediatrician in a small town in Maharashtra, with severe bluish discoloration of the skin (cyanosis). Oxygen saturation was found to be dangerously low at just 65 per cent.

Suspecting a serious cyanotic congenital heart defect — a condition where insufficient blood reaches the lungs for oxygenation — the paediatrician immediately contacted specialists at Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital, Mumbai, and arranged for an urgent transfer.

As advised by the paediatric cardiology team, led by Dr. Supratim Sen, Clinical Lead & Senior Consultant-Paediatric Cardiology, Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital, Mumbai, the newborn was first administered prostaglandin E1, a life-saving medication, before being transported in an ambulance. Despite a 12-hour journey, the newborn reached the hospital in a stable condition.

After a detailed analysis and evaluation, the diagnosis of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and a small patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) was confirmed. In this condition, the normal connection between the right side of the heart and the lungs – i.e., the pulmonary artery – is absent.

The newborn survives temporarily because of blood flow through the PDA, a natural foetal connection between the body and pulmonary artery. However, since most PDAs close naturally within two to seven days after birth, urgent intervention was critical to prevent life-threatening deterioration.

The cardiac team proceeded with PDA stenting, a minimally invasive but technically challenging procedure performed in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory. The procedure lasted about one hour, during which a small stent was successfully placed across the PDA to ensure uninterrupted blood flow to the lungs. The intervention immediately stabilised the baby’s oxygen levels.

The newborn recovered well and was discharged in stable condition after five days. A definitive corrective heart surgery is planned once the baby reaches six to eight months of age.

Speaking about the case, Dr Supratim Sen said, “In duct-dependent heart defects, time is the most critical factor. Early suspicion, prompt medical stabilisation and timely intervention can make the difference between life and death. In this case, seamless coordination between the local paediatrician, transport team and our hospital’s cardiac unit helped stabilise and save the newborn baby.”

PDA stenting in newborns is considered highly complex, as the patients are only a few days old and weigh less than 3.5 kilograms. Over the past few years, the paediatric cardiology team at Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital has successfully performed around 50 PDA stenting procedures in babies with critical and complex congenital heart defects, achieving excellent immediate and mid-term outcomes.

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