Manipal Hospital Launches Paediatric Heart Clinic in Ongole

Ongole: Manipal Hospital Vijayawada has expanded its specialised healthcare services with the launch of a Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery (CTVS) Clinic in Ongole, aiming to provide expert heart care for children closer to their homes.

The new clinic will offer specialist consultations, early diagnosis and seamless referral for advanced treatment of congenital and acquired heart diseases, reducing the need for families from Ongole and neighbouring districts to travel long distances for specialised care.

The Paediatric Cardiology and CTVS programme at Manipal Hospital Vijayawada provides comprehensive services, including fetal and neonatal cardiac evaluation, advanced catheter-based interventions, paediatric cardiac surgery, neonatal and paediatric cardiac intensive care, and long-term follow-up.

According to the hospital, the multidisciplinary team has collectively performed nearly 3,000 paediatric cardiac surgeries, treating children with a wide range of congenital heart conditions, from newborns to adolescents.

The department also offers minimally invasive trans-axillary cardiac surgery for selected cases of Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) and certain Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) patients. The technique enables quicker recovery while avoiding a visible scar on the chest.

In addition, the hospital performs heart transplantation for carefully selected children and young adults with end-stage heart failure and offers robotic cardiac surgery for eligible children weighing more than 20 kg.

The programme is led by Dr. K. Vikram, Senior Consultant in Interventional Paediatric Cardiology, and Dr. Dilip Ratti, Consultant in Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery, supported by a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, anaesthetists, intensivists and specialised nursing professionals.

Dr. Dilip Ratti said early diagnosis and timely intervention significantly improve outcomes for children with congenital heart diseases and that the Ongole clinic would enable families to access expert evaluation locally before receiving advanced treatment.

Dr. K. Vikram said the initiative aims to ensure that children across Andhra Pradesh receive safe, evidence-based cardiac care using the latest medical technologies without unnecessary delays.

The launch event also featured the recovery stories of two young patients and their families, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and specialised multidisciplinary treatment.

Hospital Director C.A. Ramanjaneya Reddy J said the new clinic reflects Manipal Hospital Vijayawada's commitment to expanding specialised paediatric cardiac care across Andhra Pradesh through clinical excellence, innovation and compassionate care.