Luanda - An 11-day-old newborn has undergone a successful surgery to remove a catheter (foreign object) that was lodged next to her heart on Sunday at Luanda’s Cardiopulmonary Diseases Hospital Complex.
"This is the first surgery carried out on a child of that weight and age, whose life was at risk due to the catheterization," said the director of the institution's Cardiovascular Service, Valdano Manuel.
The doctor explained that the child, who was born weighing four kilos and 200 grams, arrived at the hospital from a private clinic, where a foreign object measuring 23 centimeters was found.
The surgery, which lasted around three hours, with the support of 20 health professionals, was carried out to prevent the foreign object from reaching the lung.
Another concern, the doctor said, was the small size of the newborn's heart, considering that if the foreign object had reached the lung, it would cause difficulties in getting blood to the lung that could eventually lead to the child’s death.
The director stressed that the surgery was difficult due to the size of the child, which made the procedure complex, sensitive and difficult making it challenging for the medical team.
Anesthesiologist Belmira Luís, one of the members of the operating team, explained that they had to be cautious due to the patient's age, combined with the conditions in the room: "We had to have the right conditions to carry out the surgery successfully. The child was stabilised eight hours later", she said.
Cardiac surgery specialist Josyneide de Carvalho said that the operation represented a historic milestone, as it was the first operation on a child of this age. "The patient is stable and could leave intensive care within 48 hours," she said.
Inaugurated in November 2021, the Cardio-Pulmonary Diseases Hospital Complex employs around 1,890 professionals, from doctors, nurses, diagnostic technicians and administrative staff.
The facility covers an area of 49,940 squares equipped with modern, state-of-the-art equipment that guarantees the diagnosis and treatment of cardio-pulmonary diseases.
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