Day-Old Baby Survives Rare Heart Defect After Emergency Open-Heart Surgery in Delhi

A day-old pre-term newborn diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening cardiac condition has successfully recovered after undergoing a complex emergency surgery at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla, doctors said.

The infant was diagnosed with infradiaphragmatic total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) , a serious congenital heart defect in which oxygen-rich blood from the lungs fails to return properly to the heart, leading to rapid respiratory distress and oxygen deprivation after birth.

Medical reports show the condition was detected during a prenatal ultrasound , later confirmed through a foetal echocardiogram , allowing doctors and parents—both medical professionals from Patna—to plan delivery at a specialised cardiac facility.

The baby was delivered on April 13 and immediately developed severe breathing difficulties. She was shifted to neonatal intensive care, where further evaluation confirmed the need for urgent surgery. The case was managed at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla , under a paediatric cardiac team led by senior specialists.

Doctors performed an emergency open-heart surgery on April 14, lasting nearly four hours. During the procedure, surgeons corrected abnormal pulmonary venous drainage and restored proper blood circulation to the heart, the only definitive treatment for TAPVC.

According to additional clinical details shared in related reports, the infant required ventilator support and intensive stabilisation before surgery , and was closely monitored in the NICU after the procedure.

The hospital said the newborn showed gradual improvement in oxygen levels and cardiac function , with steady recovery over the following days.

After approximately 11 days of post-operative care , the baby was discharged in a stable condition. Doctors confirmed there were no immediate complications , and follow-up monitoring was advised to ensure continued recovery.

The case also highlights the importance of prenatal diagnosis, planned delivery at tertiary cardiac centres, and rapid neonatal intervention in improving survival outcomes in critical congenital heart diseases.