HIC performs, for the first time in Latin America, a novel procedure to address a congenital heart defect in a newborn baby.

• The pioneering procedure took place at the HIC Instituto Cardiovascular in Bucaramanga, Colombia. This milestone marks the history of neonatal care in Colombia and Latin America, employing less invasive techniques that ensure a better prognosis for the patient.

• Meet Samuel David, the first baby who today brings hope to thousands of children born each year with one of the most challenging congenital heart diseases to treat: Hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

• The mortality rate of patients with Samuel David's condition is almost 100% when not operated on immediately after birth.

In January 2024, in Bucaramanga, Dubis María Reyes Feria arrived from Sincelejo at the HIC - Cardiovascular Institute in Bucaramanga with a discouraging diagnosis and no hope of life for her baby. This marked the beginning of Samuel David's journey, the protagonist of the first endovascular procedure with a double intention performed in Latin America. The procedure started as the initial approach to address a complex congenital heart defect, such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, in a low-birth-weight newborn. It is a catheterization that involves implanting devices inside the pulmonary arteries to regulate pulmonary flow. Furthermore, a metal mesh 'stent' is placed inside the ductus arteriosus. The final objective of this technique is to ensure adequate pulmonary flow and systemic flow to the aorta, brain, and coronary arteries.

The intervention represents a significant achievement for the HIC - Cardiovascular Institute, as it marks the first time in Latin America that such a procedure has been performed. It opens the door for patients with complex and high-risk congenital heart disease to be treated from birth in a less invasive way, providing greater possibilities of success and lower probabilities of neurological lesions.

According to Dr. Justo Santiago, a pediatric and interventional cardiologist at the HIC, there are various ways to treat the hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Notable methods include cardiac transplantation, Norwood surgery, hybrid procedures combining surgery and interventional cardiology, and, more recently, palliation procedures by catheterization. This technique, currently performed in Europe and the United States, emerges as a viable option for patients whose left side of the heart did not develop adequately, especially those with low birth weight and associated lesions.

It is relevant to highlight that the high-complexity procedure for newborns was performed by a multidisciplinary team of specialists in Interventional Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiology, Surgery, and Anesthesiology at the HIC - Cardiovascular Institute.

A milestone in the history of neonatal care has been achieved in Latin America.

Before this case, most patients with Samuel David's condition underwent initial intervention through 'open heart' Norwood surgery , one of the most challenging procedures in pediatric cardiovascular surgery.

Therefore, endovascular management with dual intent aims to minimize risks and improve the recovery times of babies, even avoiding initial surgery at early ages to be performed at a later age and greater weight, providing a better chance for children with these heart conditions.

According to Dr. Alvaro Duran, Head of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the HIC - Cardiovascular Institute, "Even though it remains a very delicate and rigorous approach, for us as pediatric intensivists, the difference is like night and day. It is much easier to manage a child who has not undergone invasive procedures, who does not have other surgical complications, bleeding, or dysfunction of certain organs."

For Dubis Maria, the baby's mother, "it is something wonderful what the doctors are doing, primarily guided by God. I am very grateful to them. Everything is going great; the baby is already in rehabilitation." 

Currently, Samuel David is neurologically stable, undergoing therapies, feeding, and some medications to maintain optimal cardiac output. Following this, there will be two more interventions: the Norwood-Glenn surgery between 4 and 6 months and the Fontan surgery after 3 years of age.