A successful life-saving surgery was performed on two cases of critically ill fetuses with congenital heart defects at the Tu Du Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City) in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital 1. The first case, a baby boy whose mother is a doctor, successfully received a pacemaker implant after birth, overcoming a critical situation.
A Story of Congenital Heart Defects in the Womb: Dr. A’s Experience
Dr. A (30, residing in Soc Trang province) was pregnant for the second time. However, her previous two pregnancies ended in miscarriages. Although prenatal screenings in the first trimester showed no abnormalities, an ultrasound at 21 weeks revealed the baby’s heartbeat was significantly lower than normal (around 55-60 beats per minute instead of approximately 140 bpm).
Tests revealed a minor atrial septal defect in the fetus. Furthermore, Dr. A was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Lupus can lead to serious complications for both mother and baby. Consequently, the expectant mother was transferred to another hospital for treatment, while the fetus was closely monitored by doctors at Tu Du Hospital and Children’s Hospital 1.
As the pregnancy progressed to nearly 33 weeks, further ultrasounds indicated moderate valve stenosis, mild fetal heart failure, and a high risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. A pacemaker implant was necessary for the baby immediately after birth.
Successful Emergency Surgery and Emotional Relief
On February 28th, doctors performed a delivery surgery. The baby, weighing 3.1 kg, stopped breathing a minute after birth. Intensive resuscitation, intubation, and an immediate in-situ pacemaker implantation were performed.
Following the successful pacemaker implantation, the baby’s condition stabilized and was transferred to Children’s Hospital 1 for further observation. After 24 hours of intervention, the baby was breathing independently and recovered from the critical period. Dr. A also made a good recovery from the surgery.
Conclusion
The close collaboration between Tu Du Hospital and Children’s Hospital 1 successfully saved the baby boy’s life, bringing joy to Dr. A and her husband after two previous losses. Such surgeries require high medical expertise and seamless coordination across multiple specialties.
