Unique Cardiac Surgery for Infant in Odessa
In Odessa, doctors carried out an extraordinary operation on an eight-month-old boy. A specialized electrode was implanted in the child's heart to help the cardiac muscle function correctly.
Details of the operation and the child's condition are reported by "Suspilne". Currently, the boy, named Gleb, is in the intensive care unit.
The parents learned about the heart defect after the birth of their infant, and this period was quite challenging for them due to significant risks.
Additional specialists were involved in the combined operation. Using ultrasound equipment, pediatric cardiac surgeons helped locate a very thin subclavian vein.
"We implanted the electrode not into the muscle but into the heart's conduction system. According to our data, this is the first case we found in the literature for such small children. We targeted the conduction system of the heart, specifically the left bundle, and achieved excellent electrophysiological and mechanical results. So first we provided the electrical current, and then facilitated the heart's contraction," said surgeon Yuriy Karpenko.
This operation became unique because it was the first time in the world that such a surgical intervention was performed on a child under one year old. This sparked international interest, leading to invitations for Ukrainian doctors to the University of Chicago to publish this case in leading medical journals.
"Like everyone else, we use artificial intelligence, Google, and so on. All of this can be verified. That is why such a resonance occurred with this operation. We are very pleased that this was accomplished in our country, in Ukraine, in Odessa, at our hospital," explained the doctor.
Currently, the baby is in intensive care. The implanted pacemaker will ensure the boy's heart functions for 15 years.