About Coarctation of Aorta
Key Highlights
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Corrects a life-threatening congenital heart defect to restore normal blood circulation.Prevents long-term complications such as heart failure, stroke, and aortic rupture.Significantly lowers high blood pressure caused by the obstruction.Allows for normal physical growth and development in children.Modern techniques, including minimally invasive options, can reduce recovery time.Offers a definitive treatment with a high long-term success rate./ul
Who is this surgery for?
- Diagnosis of significant coarctation causing a large pressure gradient between the arms and legs.
- Presence of symptoms in infants like poor feeding, failure to thrive, or heart failure.
- High blood pressure (hypertension) in the upper body that is difficult to control with medication.
- Development of collateral blood vessels around the coarctation, indicating severe obstruction.
- Evidence of heart enlargement (cardiomegaly) or weakening of the heart muscle.
- Associated heart defects, such as a bicuspid aortic valve, that require simultaneous repair.
How to prepare
- Comprehensive diagnostic tests including echocardiogram, MRI/CT angiography, and cardiac catheterization to map the defect.
- Consultation with a pediatric or adult congenital heart disease cardiologist and cardiac surgeon.
- Management of any heart failure symptoms with medications prior to surgery.
- Pre-operative blood tests, chest X-ray, and ECG to assess overall health.
- Fasting for 6-8 hours before the procedure as instructed by the surgical team.
- Discussion of anesthesia, the surgical plan, and post-operative care with the patient and family.
Risks & possible complications
- Bleeding during or after surgery, which may require a blood transfusion.
- Risk of infection at the surgical site or in the chest (mediastinitis).
- Injury to nerves near the aorta, potentially affecting the vocal cords or diaphragm.
- Paraplegia (rare but serious risk due to spinal cord ischemia during aortic clamping).
- Recurrence of the narrowing (re-coarctation), especially in infants.
- Development of an aneurysm at the repair site later in life.
- Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) requiring medication or further intervention.
Recovery & hospital stay
- Initial recovery in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) for 1-2 days for close monitoring of heart function and blood pressure.
- Pain management with medications to ensure comfort and facilitate deep breathing exercises.
- Gradual mobilization and breathing exercises to prevent lung complications.
- Blood pressure monitoring is crucial, as it may remain high for some time and require medication.
- Incision care instructions to keep the surgical site clean and dry.
- Follow-up appointments for echocardiograms to check the repair and monitor heart health.
- A gradual return to normal activities, with restrictions on heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for several weeks.
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Typical hospital stay: 7-10 days
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Expected recovery time: 4-6 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering coarctation of aorta in India, these questions and answers can help you make a confident, informed decision.
Popular choices for coarctation of aorta in India include Miot Hospital Chennai, Kamineni Hospital, King Koti, Kamineni Hospital, Tadigadapa, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Manipal Hospital Bhubaneswar, known for experienced specialists and advanced surgical infrastructure.
Look at the doctor’s years of experience, hospital association, patient reviews, and how often they perform coarctation of aorta. MediFyr helps you compare cardiac surgeons and book consultations online.
The overall cost depends on hospital category, surgeon’s experience, room type, implant or device used (if any), length of stay, tests, and post-operative care. Our team can help you get cost estimates from multiple hospitals before you decide.
Procedure cost in other countries
Here is an overview of how the estimated cost, hospital stay, and recovery time for coarctation of aorta compare across other countries where we have data.
Top hospitals for Coarctation of Aorta in India
These partner hospitals in India have dedicated cardiac surgery teams and experience managing patients undergoing coarctation of aorta.
Ishaan Williams, a 17-year-old high school...
Ishaan Williams, a 17-year-old high school junior and aspiring track athlete, had always felt he couldn't keep up with his teammates during long-distance runs. He dismissed it as poor stamina. During a routine sports physical, his pediatrician noted weak pulses in his groin and a significant blood pressure difference between his arms and legs. Referred to a pediatric cardiologist, an echocardiogram confirmed a severe coarctation of the aorta. The cardiothoracic surgeon recommended surgical repair, explaining that while Ishaan had compensated well, the narrowing was putting immense strain on his heart and preventing normal growth. Ishaan underwent a left thoracotomy for an end-to-end anastomosis repair. The surgery was successful, but the recovery was challenging; the chest tube was painful, and he felt frustrated by his temporary physical limitations. However, within weeks, he noticed a profound difference, his legs no longer felt heavy, and he had more energy than ever before. Emotionally, he shifted from anxiety about the surgery and fear of losing his athletic dreams to immense relief and excitement. Six months post-op, he set a new personal best in the 800-meter dash, feeling stronger and more alive, finally free from the invisible constraint he'd lived with his whole life.
Cardiac surgeons for Coarctation of Aorta
Explore experienced cardiac surgeons who regularly perform coarctation of aorta and provide pre- and post-operative care in India.
- 31 Years Experience
- Pediatric Cardiac surgeon
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai
- 37 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai
- 30 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Sarjapur Road, Bangalore
- 21 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Sarjapur Road, Bangalore
- 11 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Sarjapur Road, Bangalore
- 13 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
- 31 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Whitefield, Bangalore
- 13 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Whitefield, Bangalore
- 15 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 30 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 16 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 23 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Mysore, Mysore
- 13 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Vijayawada, vijayawada
- 23 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Malleshwaram, Bangalore
- 37 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
SIMS Hospital Vadapalani, Chennai
- 8 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
SIMS Hospital Vadapalani, Chennai
- 11 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
SIMS Hospital Vadapalani, Chennai
- 17 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
SIMS Hospital Vadapalani, Chennai
- 11 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Hebbal, Bangalore
- 15 Years Experience
- Cardiac surgeon
Manipal Hospital Hebbal, Bangalore