Baby born with heart outside chest puzzles doctors at NICH

Karachi

A baby born on Thursday with its heart located outside the chest cavity left doctors at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) puzzled and the hospital has called for a team of paediatric cardiologists, surgeons and pulmonologists to be formed.

The condition was referred to as Ectopia Cordis in medical terms. Although rare, those born with the condition usually undergo an operation to place the heart in the chest cavity and protect it with a shield.

Yet to be named, the baby was born at Qatar Hospital in Orangi Town on mid Thursday night but was shifted to the NICH immediately; the baby would be taken to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) on Friday (today). “The baby was admitted to the ICU, and a team of experts was monitoring its condition,” deputy director NICH Dr Arshad Domki informed The News.

Mortality rate in the condition was extremely high, however, there have been successful operations, said experts.

Only a team of experts would decide on when to operate upon the child, he said.

Father of the baby Wajid Asghar said he could not afford to have his child treated at a private hospital. He urged government authorities to help ensure his child got a proper treatment.