DURBAN - The eThekwini Hospital and Heart Centre recently opened KwaZulu-Natal’s first private paediatric cardiac unit and performed six successful life-saving surgeries.
The centre, the vision of hospital manager Niresh Bechan, was critical for the province because all paediatric cardiac cases previously had to be referred to facilities in Joburg and Cape Town.
Wyebank mother Precious Thembisa Ndlela, 28, and her baby, Anesu Mkhize, were among the first in the unit. Anesu was diagnosed antenatally by foeto-maternal specialist Dr Ismail Bhorat with atrioventricular septal defect, a condition in which the lungs are flooded with blood.
Delivery was arranged at the hospital and she underwent her first surgery at just 5 weeks old. Pulmonary artery banding reduces the amount of blood flow to the lungs.
Dr Darshan Reddy, who heads the unit, said a second surgery was performed last week. A child born with a heart defect called transposition of the great arteries was operated on at just 6 days old.
“Her large vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs, and to the body, were improperly connected. Essentially, the connections were ‘swapped’ and needed to be corrected through an operation.”
Reddy has been trained by internationally renowned cardiothoracic surgeon Professor Rob Kinsley, who also plays an important role at the unit.
He said there was no complete and adequate paediatric cardiac service in KZN and by not treating infants and children on time, affected paediatrics were denied a normal life.
Kinsley, who believes in collegiality, has been supporting the hospital and team.