Malabar Medical college Achieves Landmark With Totally Endoscopic Heart Surgery for Congenital Heart Defect

Kozhikode: A team at Malabar Medical College's Cardiac Surgery Department has successfully repaired a congenital heart defect using a pioneering Total Endoscopic Cardiac Surgery technique, without opening the chest. The procedure was led by Chief Cardiac Surgeon Dr Anil Jose.

Conventionally, closing a hole in the heart requires open-heart surgery involving cutting through the sternum — the central breastbone. In the endoscopic approach, a camera and surgical instruments are inserted through small incisions on the right side of the chest, eliminating the need to cut any bone.

The advantages are significant. There is no large scar, post-operative pain is markedly reduced, and the need for blood transfusion is minimal. While conventional open-heart surgery requires months of recovery, patients undergoing the endoscopic procedure can be discharged within four to five days and return to normal life within two weeks.