When surgery is the right answer
Not every heart defect can be corrected through a catheter. Where the defect is too large, sits in the wrong position, involves the valves or great vessels, or occurs alongside several other abnormalities, surgical repair is the proper treatment — and for those children it is an excellent one, with results built on decades of refinement.
We do not push children towards a catheter procedure to avoid surgery. We recommend whichever route will properly fix the problem.
Two kinds of operation
Reparative surgery corrects the defect. Once healed, the child's heart works as it should, and many of these children go on to entirely ordinary lives.
Palliative surgery improves the circulation without fully correcting the underlying problem. It is used where a complete repair is not possible yet — often to help a small baby grow safely to a size and stage where fuller correction can be done later. More than one operation may be planned from the outset.
How it works with us
Dr. Pankaj Sugaonkar leads the assessment, the imaging and the decision about what your child needs. Surgery itself is performed by paediatric cardiac surgical teams at our partner hospitals — Ruby Hall Clinic, Sahyadri Hospital, N.M. Wadia Hospital, Jehangir Hospital, M.G.M. Hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and New Life Hospital in Latur — with full paediatric cardiac intensive care.
He remains involved throughout: pre-operative evaluation, planning with the surgical team, and all cardiac follow-up afterwards. Families deal with one doctor who knows their child, rather than starting again at every stage.
Support for families who cannot afford treatment
Through Save Little Heart Foundation, and with our funding NGO and CSR partners, we work to support treatment for children from underprivileged families. If cost is standing between your child and an operation they need, tell us. Do not simply go home.