Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery
The cardiothoracic surgical unit at LRH was established on 17 January 2007. This still is, the only dedicated cardiothoracic surgical service in the public sector, for not only neonates, infants and children but also for most of the adult congenital heart disease patients of the whole country.
From a modest beginning of 200 surgeries in year 2007 with the cardiothoracic unit, two cardiac operating theatres and a 6 bedded cardiac ICU, the unit has progressed to perform well over 800 open and closed heart operations per year from 2011 onwards following inception of 2 operating theatres, a 12 bedded HDU in 2010. In addition, emergency and elective thoracic surgery is also performed with visiting thoracic surgeons from chest hospital Welisara, attending frequently.
The work force consists of four consultant cardiothoracic surgeons, three consultant anaesthetists, one consultant paediatric intensivist and one consultant neonatologist, and other medical and allied staff consisting of surgical, anaesthesia and intensive care medical officers, nurses, perfusionists and physiotherapists.
Dr. Kanchana Singappuli
Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Dr. Yousouf Lahie
Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Dr. Priyanga Rathnayake
Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Dr. M. S. Mugunthan
Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon
The unit comprises of three fully equipped cardiothoracic surgical operating theaters, and two wards (Ward 20A and 20B) for admitting pre and post-operative patients respectively. The unit is supported by two dedicated Cardiac Intensive Care units with a total bed capacity of 18 beds and a recently commissioned human tissue bank which provides homograft tissue for cardiac surgery.
| Name of Consultant | Specialty | Ward | Clinic Room | Day of the week |
| Dr. Kanchana Singappuli | Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon | Ward 20 A & B | 1st Floor (Room 4)- Cardiology Building | Wednesday 2pm – 4pm |
| Dr. Y. K. M. Lahie | Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon | Ward 20 A & B | 1st Floor (Room 4)- Cardiology Building | Thursday 12noon – 3pm |
| Dr. R.M.P.J.K. Rathnayaka
Dr.M.S.Mugunthan |
Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon |
Ward 20 A & B
Ward 20 A & B |
1st Floor (Room 4)- Cardiology Building
st Floor (Room 4)- Cardiology Building |
Tuesday 2pm – 4pm
Monday 2pm – 4pm
|
The patients are referred for surgery mostly from the cardiology unit at LRH. The other referrals are from the consultant paediatric cardiologists from the rest of the country and from the consultant paediatricians both from LRH and outside. The emergency and urgent patients are admitted to the Cardiology ward, NICU or one of the ICU’s at LRH before arranging surgery.
Elective patients are screened at the surgical clinics. The clinics also conduct long-term follow up of patients following cardiac surgery.
The common surgeries performed in the unit …
Open Heart Surgery
- Neonatal and Infant
- Repair of anomalous pulmonary venous drainage of all types
- Arterial Switch Operation for Transposition of Great Arteries and associated defects
- Closure of all types of ventricular septal defects
- Repair of Atrio-Ventricular Septal Defects
- Repair of anomalous origin of coronary arteries from pulmonary artery
- Repair of Truncus Arteriosus
- Closure of aorto-pulmonary window
- Infants and Children
- Closure of Atrial Septal Defects of all types
- Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot’s and double outlet right ventricle
- Left and right ventricular out flow tract obstructions with or without associated defects
- Repair or replacement of aortic, pulmonary, tricuspid and mitral valves for acquired or congenital disease
- Surgery for univentricular heart: Bidirectional Glenn Shunt and Completion Fontan operation
- Adolescent and Adult Congenital Heart Disease
- Replacement of pulmonary valve or RV to PA conduits following previous repair
- Re-do surgery following previous cardiac surgery
Closed Heart Surgery (Not involving cardio-pulmonary bypass)
- Closure of Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Repair of coarctation, hypoplastic aortic arch and interruption of aortic arch
- Surgery for vascular rings and associated anomalies
- Systemic to pulmonary artery shunts
- Pulmonary Artery Banding
Thoracic Surgery
- Surgery for infectious disease of the lungs and pleural cavity
- Surgery for congenital lesions of the lungs (lobar emphysema, congenital cystic adenomatous malformation)
- Thoracic tumours
- Surgery for thoracic trauma
- Tracheal and bronchial surgery
The unit has been recognized and approved by the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine of Sri Lanka for training of registrars and senior registrars in paediatric cardiothoracic surgery and has been involved in training senior registrars for the past two years.