A two-member team of doctors in the capital have successfully conducted pediatric cardiothoracic surgery on a six-month child, it was first of its kind successful surgery in Pakistan. According to the available information with Daily Times, the child had a hole in the septum that separates the lower two chambers of the heart, also known as ventricular septal defect. This defect allowed oxygen-rich blood to leak into the oxygen-poor blood chambers of the patient’s heart. A small hole may close on its own, but this little child’s hole required surgery. The operation was conducted by Dr. Mahim Akmal Malik, an American Diplomat in Congenital Cardiac Surgery. Both belonged to Maroof International Hospital, Islamabad. As soon as the operation was done, the child was discharged from the hospital for his speedy recovery. The open-heart surgery, valve repair and procedures for infants, children, and adolescents have been started now. A team of foreign qualified Pediatric Cardiologists and Cardiothoracic Surgeons was supported by physicians, intensivists, nurses, and anesthesiologists, led by Dr. Mahim Akmal Malik, Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon, and Dr. Muhammad Tariq Jamil, Pediatric Intensivist. Sharing details, Dr. Mahim Malik said that congenital heart defects are very different from the types of heart diseases that are common among adults as repairing hearts in small bodies present an added challenge. She added that pediatric heart surgeons have the special skills needed to provide the safest care for even the youngest and smallest patients who require heart surgery. Maroof Hospital’s Pediatric Cardiac Surgeons provide surgery for correcting conditions such as holes between chambers of the heart, valve problems, and abnormal blood vessels, repairing injury to the heart, correcting other congenital and acquired heart defects, she added. The CEO of Maroof International Hospital, Haroon Naseer said that after having a successful state-of-the-art Maroof Cardiovascular Centre along with two Cath Labs equipped for a full spectrum of interventional cardiology, cardiac surgeries, and structural procedures, this year they invested extensively on the development of three main areas including a six-bed Coronary Care Unit (CCU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, having cutting edge technology in equipment. He added that the PICU is a dedicated two-bed, fully equipped unit with pediatric ventilators, invasive monitors, and an organ support system.