6 years boy from India underwent minimally invasive trans-catheter Fontan procedure

A six year boy from India born with a critical heart defect, successfully underwent a minimally invasive trans catheter Fontan procedure to repair his heart at BLK-MAX Hospital, India the best cardiac hospital in India.

The child was born with only one functioning heart chamber, a condition that occurs in less than 1% of children with congenital heart defects. The treatment involves using catheters to establish connections between veins and arteries, thereby directing blood flow and eliminating the need for open heart surgery.

An average heart contains four chambers that regulate the circulation of oxygenated blood to the lungs, resulted in his lips and fingers becoming blued due to low blood oxygen. His condition, single ventricle physiology, led to a mixture of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, resulting in a severe shortage of oxygen in his body. The operation was carried out by a medical team lead by Dr Gaurav Garg, associate director - Paediatric Cardiology, Heart and Vascular Institute at BLK-MAX Super Specialty Hospital, the best cardiac hospital in India.  This advanced procedure was performed through a small groin incision, using catheters and wires to reach the heart and place a covered stent, reducing risks associated with with conventional open-heart surgery.

According to Dr Gaurav, the patient came to him with dangerously low oxygen levels – around 70 to 75%. Moreover, the patient had already underwent the first stage of treatment, known as Glenn procedure, at just six months old, in which blood flow from the upper body was redirected to the lungs, bypassing the malformed right heart.

The final Fontan stage, typically involves high risk surgery at the current age of 6, the traditionally open heart surgery carries significant risks of bleeding, infection, pain and extended hospital stays. Given the child’s age and the complexity of case, the medical team opted for a trans catheter Fontan as a safer alternative.

Important to note that the success of this procedure was possible due to early detection and prompt intervention. Patient’s oxygen levels improved within days of the procedure, and his skin’s bluish colouration began to disappear. The precise cause of such defects remains unknown, though genetic factors may contribute.

Source: Times of India, dated 18/6/2025.