Mangalore: Specialist doctors at the AJ Hospital and Research Centre in Mangalore have performed a rare heart surgery on a new born, the first time in the coastal Karnataka region and have thus been successful in giving a fresh lease of life to the baby.

The baby girl which had turned blue soon after birth was brought to the hospital on April 25. On examination, it was found that the baby suffered from a serious cardiac problem with   blood flow to the lungs blocked by 99 per cent.  The child was also suffering from a problem called critical pulmonary stenosis.

A team of doctors led by Dr Prem Alva, children’s heart specialist, cleared the block through balloon dilatation without an open-heart surgery.

Dr. Prashanth Marla, Medical Director of the Hospital said the baby has completely recovered after the surgery.