Cardiologists at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital (GNDH), a part of Government Medical College here, have successfully treated a six-month-old infant suffering from Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), a congenital heart defect in which a blood vessel connecting the heart and lungs fails to close after birth.The procedure was carried out by a team led by senior cardiologist Dr Parminder Singh Manghera and comprising Dr Veena Chatrath, Dr Milind and anaesthesiologists. (HT)According to doctors, the infant, weighing 4.5 kg, was experiencing poor weight gain, recurrent respiratory infections, breathing difficulties and weakness due to PDA.During pregnancy, the ductus arteriosus blood vessel allows blood to bypass the lungs, which are not yet functioning in the fetus. Normally, after birth, once the newborn begins breathing and the lungs become functional, the vessel closes naturally within a few hours or days. In this infant, however, the ductus arteriosus remained open, causing excessive blood to flow into the lungs and placing extra strain.The child was brought to GNDH, where specialists diagnosed the congenital condition and recommended closure of the abnormal blood vessel. But the infant’s low body weight posed a significant challenge as the standard PDA closure device was not suitable in this case.Senior cardiologist Dr Parminder Singh Manghera said the GNDH team instead used a modified vascular plug, normally not used for PDA closure, to close the defect. The device was carefully implanted into the infant’s heart, successfully sealing the abnormal blood vessel, said Dr Manghera, adding that the procedure was carried out with the support of Dr Veena Chatrath, Dr Milind and the anaesthesia team“This was an extraordinary procedure. PDA closure devices are generally approved for children weighing more than 5 kg, and there is currently no dedicated device available for babies weighing less than that. Without timely intervention, this infant could have lost his life, as his weight continued to decline,” he explained.GNDH director-principal Rajiv Devgan said the treatment was provided free of cost under the Chief Minister’s Health Scheme. “In private hospitals, a similar procedure would typically cost up to ₹7 lakh, and even there, such devices are usually used only in children weighing over 5 kg,” he added.