Doctors Perform a Rare Infant Surgery Without Blood Transfusion in Bengaluru
A 6-week-old Nigerian baby was saved by doctors in Bengaluru! They successfully performed a highly complex bloodless open-heart surgery on him when the blood transfusion was refused by his family. The life-saving procedure has drawn attention for both its medical complexity and the delicate conditions under which it was performed.
What began as a joyful moment for a young Nigerian family quickly turned into a medical nightmare when their newborn baby developed life-threatening breathing troubles right after birth. Baby Nolan initially seemed very healthy, however, when he was six weeks old, his mother, Damisa, began to notice worrying changes in his breathing.
Later, he was diagnosed with truncus arteriosus, which is a rare congenital heart defect, developed severe breathing problems at six weeks old. This defect occurs when a single large blood vessel comes out of the heart instead of two separate vessels. Because of this abnormal structure, oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood would mix together, which could have led to severe breathing problems and heart failure if left untreated.
When Nolan was about six weeks old, his health began to get worse. He developed serious breathing difficulties and required urgent medical care. Doctors confirmed that he needed immediate open-heart surgery to repair the defect and without surgery, the condition could become life-threatening.
However, the case became more complicated due to his family’s religious beliefs and they didn’t allow blood transfusions as Nolan’s parents are members of the Jehovah’s Witness faith. Nolan’s family travelled to Bengaluru after finding no hope in Israel, where the hospital declined to perform the surgery without a blood transfusion.
Later in Bengaluru, the doctors had to plan a surgery that would avoid using donor blood while still safely repairing the baby’s heart.
He was evaluated by Dr. Devananda N S, Head of Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery and Heart and Lung Transplant Surgery, at the hospital, who concluded the baby’s condition was even more complicated than initially diagnosed.
In addition to truncus arteriosus, the infant also suffered from severe leakage in both the truncal and mitral valves, along with narrowing of one of the pulmonary arteries.
Doctors worked to increase the haemoglobin levels using medications while preparing him for a procedure without blood transfusion.The surgical team performed several delicate steps during the operation. It involved separating the heart’s blood circulation pathways, repairing both damaged valves, correcting the narrowed artery, and placing a special tube graft to allow blood flow from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries. And despite the complexity of the case, the surgery was successfully completed.
Dr. Devananda N S said, “We accepted the case and advised the family, even before they arrived in India, to start building the child’s haemoglobin levels using medications. A month and a half later, the baby was brought to the hospital”.
Doctors repaired the structural defect in Nolan’s heart without the need for any blood transfusion. After the operation, the baby was closely monitored in intensive care for several weeks. Fortunately, Nolan responded well to treatment and gradually began recovering. Reports indicate that he is now stable and continuing to improve with minimal medication.
Doctors say the infant will continue to receive regular follow-ups to ensure his heart functions normally as he grows. With proper care and monitoring, they expect him to lead a healthy life in the future.
