Doctors at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) in Tiruchi carried out the facility’s first open-heart surgery on a patient with a nine-year history of recurrent syncopal episodes (temporary loss of consciousness), attributed to a previously diagnosed congenital heart condition, recently.
According to a hospital press release on Wednesday, the patient, a 47-year-old female resident of Srirangam, was admitted to MGMGH on November 15 with progressive breathlessness. She had been previously diagnosed with atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition where there is a hole in the wall (septum) that separates the two upper chambers of the heart, the atria.
Following admission, diagnostic tests and multidisciplinary assessment were conducted to establish surgical suitability.
Under the guidance of S. Kumaravel, Dean, K.A.P.V. Government Medical College, on November 20, the patient successfully underwent ASD closure under general anaesthesia with Heart–Lung Machine (HLM) support, during which the defect was repaired using a pericardial patch.
The procedure was performed by a Cardio-Vascular and Thoracic Surgery (CVTS) team in coordination with cardiologists, anaesthesiologists, general surgeons, nursing staff, and perfusion technician, said the release.
Post-operatively, the patient was transferred to the specialised intensive care unit for vigilant continuous monitoring. As the patient’s condition remained stable throughout her recovery period, she was discharged on November 24.
Published – December 03, 2025 05:08 pm IST
