Ventricular Septal Defect — VSD
A hole between the heart's lower chambers.
Introduction
When it is your child's heart, every decision feels bigger.
Being told that your child has a heart defect can be frightening.
You may be asking:
Is my child's condition serious?Does my child need surgery?Can the condition be treated without surgery?How soon does treatment need to happen?Which doctor should we consult?Can my child be treated in India?And perhaps the most difficult question:
“Will my child be okay?”There is no single answer to these questions because congenital heart disease can range from relatively simple defects requiring monitoring to complex conditions requiring specialised procedures or surgery.
The first step is understanding exactly what your child has and what treatment. That's where the right specialist opinion can make a difference.
Share your child's medical reports with Monk On The Go and we can help identify the appropriate specialist pathway in India.
Request a Specialist Opinion
Understanding the condition
Congenital heart disease is not one condition
Congenital heart defects are structural problems of the heart or blood vessels that are present at birth. They can vary greatly in type and severity.
Some children may have few or no symptoms. Others may experience difficulties with feeding, breathing, growth or oxygen levels.
Some of the conditions we help families explore include:
Atrial Septal Defect — ASD
A hole between the heart's upper chambers.
Tetralogy of Fallot — TOF
A complex congenital heart condition involving several structural abnormalities.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus — PDA
A blood vessel that normally closes after birth remains open.
Atrioventricular Septal Defect — AVSD
A defect involving the walls and valves between the heart chambers.
Transposition of the Great Arteries — TGA
A major congenital condition involving the position of the heart's great arteries.
Coarctation of the Aorta
A narrowing of the aorta that can affect blood flow.
Pulmonary Atresia
A congenital condition affecting blood flow from the heart towards the lungs.
Single Ventricle & Complex CHD
Some children are born with complex heart structures requiring specialised staged treatment and long-term follow-up.
Other Congenital & Paediatric Heart Conditions
Including valve abnormalities, abnormal blood vessels, rhythm disorders and other structural heart problems.
The appropriate investigation and treatment depend on the child's specific diagnosis and clinical condition.
Treatment possibilities
Does every child with a heart defect need surgery?
No. And understanding this is important.
Depending on the condition, some children may only require regular monitoring, while others may need medication, catheter-based treatment or cardiac surgery. Some children may require more than one intervention during their development.
Treatment possibilities may include:
Regular Monitoring
Some smaller or less complex defects may be monitored over time by a paediatric cardiologist.
Medication
Medication may be used in selected children to manage symptoms or support heart function.
Cardiac Catheterisation
Certain heart defects can be treated using catheter-based procedures without opening the chest. Depending on the condition, these procedures may be used to close defects, open narrowed vessels or valves, or place devices/stents.
Paediatric Cardiac Surgery
Some congenital heart defects require surgical repair or reconstruction.
Complex / Staged Cardiac Procedures
Children with complex congenital heart disease may require more than one procedure as they grow.
Follow-up & Long-term Cardiac Care
Treatment is not always the end of the journey. Many children with congenital heart disease require continued cardiac follow-up as they grow.
The important question isn't simply “Does my child need surgery?”
It is:
“What does my child's heart condition require?”That answer can only come after appropriate clinical evaluation.
Meet the specialists
Meet the Paediatric Cardiac Specialists We Work With
Experienced specialists for little hearts and complex conditions
Monk On The Go works with specialists across different areas of paediatric cardiac care.
Depending on your child's diagnosis, we can help coordinate with appropriate paediatric cardiologists, paediatric cardiac surgeons and other cardiac specialists.
The right specialist depends on the child's condition.
A child requiring evaluation for a simple septal defect may need a different specialist pathway from a child with complex congenital heart disease.
Doctor availability and acceptance of individual cases are subject to the specialist and hospital.
Dr. K.S. Iyer
Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon
Paediatric cardiac expertise
- Congenital heart problems
- Including arterial switch procedures
- Double switch operations
View all expertise
- TAPVC repairs
- Fontan and Fontan type treatments
- tetralogy of Fallot corrections
- DORV
- Truncus corrections
Dr Ajay Kaul
Heart & Lung Transplant Specialist
Paediatric cardiac expertise
- Paediatric CTVS (Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery)
- Aortic Valve Replacement without Open Heart Surgery
Dr. Nidhi Rawal
Pediatric Cardiologist
Paediatric cardiac expertise
- Pediatric Echo
- Pediatric Cath Lab procedures
- Fetal Echo
View all expertise
- Balloon Dilatation of Coarctation of Aorta
- Balloon Atrial Septostomy
- ASD
- VSD
- PDA device closure
- Congenital Heart Diseases
Dr Dhananjay Malankar
Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon
Paediatric cardiac expertise
- Paediatric and neonatal cardiac surgery
- Mitral valve repair
- Tricuspid valve repair
Dr. Sushant Srivastava
Chairperson Heart & Lungs Transplant
Paediatric cardiac expertise
- Valve Repairs and Replacements
- Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
Dr. Rajesh Sharma
Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon
Paediatric cardiac expertise
- Aortic valve repair and replacement
- Biventricular repair for complex congenital heart diseases in children- CCTGA and heterotaxy
- Device closure- ASD, VSD
View all expertise
- Double-switch operation for congenitally corrected transposition
- Fontan circulation
- Mitral valve repair and replacement
- Neonatal and infant cardiac surgery
- Pediatric Cardiac surgery
- Retraining the regressed left ventricle (d-TGA, CCTGA)
- Surgery for complex congenital heart diseases
- Surgery for transposition of the great arteries
Dr. Ashutosh Marwah
Pediatric Cardiologist
Paediatric cardiac expertise
- Echocardiography
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Fetal Echocardiogram
View all expertise
- Cardiac interventions in newborns
- Interventional closure of Cardiac defects – ASD, VSD PDA
- Coarct balloon dilatation and stenting
- Stent implantation in pulmonary arteries
Specialist availability and acceptance of individual cases are subject to the doctor and hospital.
India for Paediatric Cardiology & Congenital Heart Disease
Why do families consider India for paediatric cardiac treatment?
For families travelling internationally, choosing where a child receives cardiac treatment is an important decision.
India has developed specialised paediatric cardiac centres with teams dedicated to the diagnosis, intervention and surgical management of congenital heart disease.
Families may consider India because of:
Specialised Paediatric Cardiac Teams
Paediatric cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, anaesthetists, intensivists and specialised support teams working together.
Experience with Congenital Heart Disease
Indian cardiac centres manage a broad spectrum of congenital and paediatric heart conditions.
Advanced Cardiac Facilities
Specialised diagnostic, catheterisation, surgical and intensive-care facilities are available at major cardiac centres.
Multiple Treatment Approaches
Depending on the condition, treatment may range from monitoring and medication to catheter-based intervention or surgery.
International Patient Care
Several Indian hospitals have dedicated systems for families travelling from overseas.
Potential Cost Advantage
For many international families, treatment in India may be more affordable than comparable private healthcare in their home country.
But for a child with congenital heart disease:
Cost should never be the only consideration.
The experience of the cardiac team, hospital's capabilities, intensive-care support, the specific procedure required and long-term follow-up are all important considerations.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Paediatric Cardiology & CHD Treatment in India
What is congenital heart disease?
Congenital heart disease refers to structural differences or defects of the heart or major blood vessels that are present at birth. There are many different types, ranging from relatively simple defects to complex conditions.
Does every child with congenital heart disease need surgery?
No. Treatment depends on the type and severity of the condition. Some children may only need regular monitoring, while others may require medication, catheter-based treatment or surgery.
What are the common congenital heart defects in children?
Examples include VSD, ASD, PDA, Tetralogy of Fallot, AVSD, coarctation of the aorta, transposition of the great arteries and several other structural heart conditions.
What are the signs of a heart problem in a baby?
Depending on the condition, signs can include breathing difficulties, problems with feeding, poor weight gain, unusual tiredness or blue coloration of the lips or skin. Some heart defects may have few or no obvious symptoms.
Can my child's heart defect be treated without open-heart surgery?
Some conditions can be treated using cardiac catheterisation or other less-invasive procedures. Whether this is possible depends entirely on the specific defect and the child's clinical condition.
How much does paediatric cardiac surgery cost in India?
The cost varies significantly depending on the child's diagnosis, complexity of the procedure, hospital, specialist, length of stay and intensive-care requirements.
Once the child's medical reports have been reviewed and the proposed treatment is known, we can help the family understand the expected treatment costs.
What is the best hospital for paediatric cardiac surgery in India?
There isn't one hospital that is best for every child.
The appropriate centre depends on the child's diagnosis and the expertise and facilities required.
Monk On The Go can help identify suitable paediatric cardiac centres based on the child's medical requirements.
Can I get a second opinion from a paediatric cardiologist in India?
Yes. Families can share medical records and investigations for specialist review, subject to the doctor's acceptance of the case.
A second opinion can be particularly valuable when parents have been advised to consider a major cardiac procedure or when they are uncertain about the proposed treatment.
Will my child need follow-up after heart surgery?
Many children with congenital heart disease need ongoing cardiac follow-up even after successful treatment. The nature and frequency of follow-up depend on the child's condition and treatment.
Let's help with the next steps
Your child's heart deserves the right question before the next decision.
You may already have a diagnosis.
You may have been told that your child needs surgery.
Or you may simply be looking for someone who can help you understand what the medical reports mean.
Start by sharing the reports.
Our team can review the information you provide, understand what specialist input may be appropriate, and help coordinate the next step with a suitable paediatric cardiac specialist in India.
You don't have to figure it all out today.
There is no obligation to proceed with treatment in India. Medical treatment decisions are made by the treating medical team.
