Aligarh: The Cardiothoracic Surgery team at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), successfully performed a rare and complex cardiac surgery on a six-year-old boy, Rishabh, from Siddhartha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.
Rishabh had suffered from breathing difficulties since birth and would turn blue while crying. Recently, he began coughing up blood, alarming his parents. After multiple hospital visits, including consultations at leading national centres, he was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot with severe right heart failure – a critical congenital heart defect. Due to the high risk involved, several hospitals refused surgery.
His family eventually learned about the advanced cardiac surgeries performed at JNMC and sought consultation with Dr. Shaad Abqari, Pediatric Cardiologist, who confirmed the diagnosis and referred him to the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department.
Led by Dr. Syed Shamayal Rabbani, the surgical team – including Dr. Mohd Azam Haseen and Dr. Aamir Mohammed – performed the complex procedure. The heart and lungs were stopped for 50 minutes while the defects were meticulously repaired. During this critical phase, Dr. Sabir Ali Khan and Mr. Irshad Sheikh managed heart-lung functions. The anesthesia team, comprising Dr. Deepti Chanana, Dr. Nida, and Dr. Imamuddin, ensured a smooth operation.
Following a successful surgery, Rishabh received post-operative care from a dedicated nursing team led by Suhail-ur Rahman and Amir Khan.
Prof. Mohd Azam Haseen, Chairperson of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, called this a proud achievement for JNMC and AMU. Dr. Shaad Abqari, Nodal Officer of the Paediatric Cardiac Evaluation and Surgery Unit (PCE-CSU), highlighted that only a few government centres in India can perform such intricate surgeries.
Dr. Shamayal Rabbani noted that the child had Hoffman’s variant of Tetralogy of Fallot, making the procedure extremely high-risk. Dr. Aamir Mohammed emphasised JNMC’s role as a leading referral centre for complex heart surgeries, having successfully treated nearly 1,000 congenital heart defect cases in the past six to seven years.
Prof. Kamran Afzal, Convener of DEIC, JNMC, lauded the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) initiative for enabling life-saving surgeries free of cost for children. Prof. Habib Raza, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, and Principal & CMS of JNMC, commended the medical team for their dedication.
AMU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Naima Khatoon congratulated the team, noting that over 2,500 cardiac surgeries have been successfully performed at JNMC in recent years, solidifying its reputation as a centre of excellence in cardiac care.
