RIMS conducts open-heart surgery on minor

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 14: The Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hospital, Imphal has successfully conducted its first ever independent open-heart surgery on a 15-year-old girl.
The 15-year-old girl who underwent the procedure at the Regional Paediatric Cardiothoracic Centre has been discharged on January 13.
The surgery was funded under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) programme of the National Health Mission (NHM), Manipur. Surgeon Prof Th Chito and Anaesthetist Prof L Pradip led the surgical team, said RIMS in a statement.
The procedure was conducted at the state-of-the-art Regional Paediatric Cardiothoracic Centre at RIMS, which is equipped with advanced facilities to handle complex cardiac cases.
Importantly, the patient incurred no out-of-pocket expenses, as the entire treatment was fully funded by the RBSK programme, said RIMS. While this surgery marked the Centre's first independent open-heart procedure, the facility has previously treated 13 children with congenital heart defects with the assistance of expert surgeons, anaesthetists, and perfusionists from outside the State, it said.
Prof G Sunil Kumar Sharma, Director of RIMS has meanwhile lauded the efforts of the entire team and emphasised the institution’s commitment to excellence in healthcare and medical education.
"RIMS is a premier medical institution, dedicated to providing high-quality healthcare services and fostering innovation in medical education," said Prof G Sunil Kumar Sharma. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the RIMS team, and it marks a significant milestone in the advancement of healthcare in the region, he said.