An 8-year-old girl from Rewari has received a new lease of life after undergoing a rare minimally invasive heart surgery that helped her avoid a major open-heart operation. The four-hour keyhole procedure was successfully performed at , marking a significant achievement in paediatric cardiac care.

The young girl, Jessica, had been living with a congenital heart defect since birth. While she was able to perform her routine activities, her parents noticed that she often became tired faster than other children and was not gaining weight as expected. These small but concerning signs prompted her family to seek medical advice, leading to a detailed cardiac evaluation.

After a comprehensive examination, diagnosed Jessica with multiple complex heart defects. She had two holes between the upper chambers of the heart, known as atrial septal defects (ASD), measuring 15 mm and 7 mm, along with a hole between the lower chambers, called ventricular septal defect (VSD). Her condition was further complicated by mild-to-moderate leakage of the mitral valve and enlargement of the heart chambers.

Considering the complexity of her condition, doctors recommended surgical correction. The challenging procedure was performed by along with his team, including Dr. Rohit Malhotra and Dr. Murtaza.

Unlike conventional open-heart surgery, which requires opening the breastbone through a large incision, doctors chose an advanced minimally invasive approach. Through a small incision on the right side of Jessica’s chest, surgeons successfully repaired all the heart defects in a single procedure without cutting the sternum.

The surgery lasted nearly four hours and was completed successfully without any complications. The keyhole technique helped reduce surgical trauma, minimise pain and blood loss, and allowed faster recovery. It also provided an important cosmetic advantage for a child as there was no visible scar on the front of the chest.

Explaining the significance of the procedure, Dr. Anupam Das said, “This was a technically demanding case because of the presence of multiple defects and structural challenges. The minimally invasive approach allowed us to correct all the problems in a single surgery while reducing trauma to the child. For carefully selected paediatric patients, this technique can significantly improve recovery and overall outcomes.”

He added that advanced minimally invasive procedures can make a major difference in children by supporting quicker healing and reducing the emotional stress associated with major surgeries.

Following the operation, Jessica recovered smoothly. She was removed from ventilator support early, remained stable during recovery and was discharged from the hospital on the third day after surgery.

Today, Jessica is back home with her family and is steadily moving towards a healthier future. The successful surgery highlights the growing role of advanced minimally invasive techniques in treating complex heart conditions among children and reflects the ability of specialised cardiac centres to provide advanced care closer to home.

With such innovative procedures, children with congenital heart defects can now hope for safer surgeries, shorter recovery periods and better quality of life.