Kids aren’t just tiny adults, their bodies work differently and require unique treatments. This is even more crucial when it comes to surgery. There’s a shortage of trained pediatric cardiac surgeons, less than 100 get their license each year in India. That’s where robots come in handy. These surgical sidekicks can reduce human errors and treatment costs.
Around the world, a change is taking place to avoid surgery where possible. For example, 3D organ printing makes a copy of the heart, helping surgeons understand the situation better before they operate. This way, less invasive procedures are possible, making recovery quicker and less painful, with minimal scarring.
A procedure used frequently to improve blood flow, known as Percutaneous Valve, has been minimized to cater to kids younger than 5 years. Rather than being a big, scary procedure, it involves a small catheter inserted into a vein, guided by an X-ray. The most important part is the valve, which starts working as soon as it’s in place. For now, it’s mainly used for patients who need a valve between the right side of the heart and the lung artery.
Another cool thing helping kids with heart issues is 3D organ printing. Doctors can create a model of a heart using scans from the patient. This helps the surgeon to better plan the surgery. It’s especially used for complicated cases and may lead to less time spent in hospital and lower costs.
Robot-assisted surgeries help as well. Surgeons use robotic arms to do what they would normally do with their own hands. This type of surgery reduces the risks seen in traditional open-heart surgery and may in future even be used for newborns and infants.
If your child has a heart problem, it can stress the family both emotionally and financially. It’s important for families to educate themselves. There are many types of heart conditions that a child can have. Some conditions are from birth while others develop later.
If you realize your child occasionally looks bluish, struggles to breathe, is always tired, or sleeps more than other kids, they may have heart problems. Serious conditions, such as issues in blood flow, could be life-threatening. If this is the case, get to a doctor immediately. It might be necessary for them to have surgery in their first year of life.
If your child needs to see a surgeon, get in touch with a reputable hospital that has skilled surgeons. Trust that today’s treatments and surgeries have come a distance and results for kids with heart issues are encouraging. Most kids return to live usual lives.
Once the surgery is over, it may be necessary for your child to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle, such as regular exercise and healthy diets. Regular check-ins with your pediatrician is also a good idea. Note that some kids with heart conditions may grow slower, so you’ll need to adjust your expectations and routines for them, such as tutoring or physical therapy.
Much love to all families dealing with these challenges.
Tags: Heart Surgery, The Future, Kids.
