Evercare Dhaka triumphs over globally recognised critical treatment

Evercare Hospital Dhaka has claimed it triumphed over a globally recognised critical treatment procedure in cardiac surgery for Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA).

At a press meet on Thursday, the hospital unveiled the story of a five-month-old baby, Abdullah Safwan, and claimed such treatment is recognised globally as a critical one and they made it successful in Bangladesh.

Officials at Evercare said Safwan was admitted to the hospital under Dr Tahera Nazrin, a consultant and coordinator of paediatric cardiology, on 25 April through the emergency department.

Then, Safwan was diagnosed as a case of large PDA with severe pulmonary hypertension, pneumonia, heart failure, acute gastroenteritis and electrolytes imbalance with low weight, they added.

Evercare officials said a medical board of paediatric cardiologists had decided to go for an urgent surgical closure of the PDA. After optimising the acute pulmonary hypertensive crisis and heart failure in the intensive care unit, Dr Sohail Ahmed carried out an operation on the baby on 5 May.

Dr Tahera Nazrin said usually, such PDA would be closed by the device in nonsurgical procedure in Evercare Dhaka but, Safwan's PDA was not suitable for device closure because of its big size – 10mm – and unusual shape.

The baby had severe pulmonary (lung) hypertension because of which he had emergency complications (acute pulmonary hypertensive crisis), she added.

Describing the issue as a big challenge, Dr Tahera Nazrin said, after hospitalisation, the baby had two attacks of cardiorespiratory failure and seizures and he was in ventilation support that's why it was a tough situation for them.

Dr Sohail Ahmed said pulmonary hypertensive crisis with congenital heart disease is one such a detrimental emergency complication that is extremely difficult to manage all over the world.

"The baby would have needed treatments and procedures like iNO which are not available in our country," he added.

Dr Ratnadip Chaskar, chief executive officer of Evercare Hospital Dhaka, said good work is happening at Evercare and other hospitals in Bangladesh.

"Patients do not have to travel abroad anymore. It's all about all experts coming together and saving lives," he said.

"We hope to serve the community in a better way. Our dream is that no Bangladeshi national will ever have to go abroad for lack of facility. We should come to a point to offer all healthcare facilities within the country."  

Senior Paediatrician Dr Sabina Sultana said this type of critical patient is prone to develop renal failure and dyselectrolytemia, and fluid management was critical for him which needs overall supervision by a paediatrician and critical care team.