Davao City, Philippines — Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH) has set a new standard in pediatric cardiac care. The team performed a life-saving heart procedure on a newborn just minutes after delivery. This tightly coordinated, first-of-its-kind intervention closed the critical gap between birth and surgery.
Precision from the Start: Early Diagnosis and Strategic Planning
The journey began well before birth when the patient was diagnosed with complete heart block, a serious cardiac rhythm disorder where electrical signals controlling the heartbeat are impaired. The condition was first detected through fetal Doppler monitoring by the mother’s obstetrician, Dr. Gichelle Grace Villaflor, and later confirmed through a detailed diagnostic evaluation by Pediatric Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Sheldon Paragas.
Recognizing that the condition placed the unborn child at extreme risk, a multidisciplinary medical and surgical care team was enlisted to meticulously plan the management of the delivery. The strategy required a high level of coordination rarely seen in regional healthcare medicine, ensuring that the transition from the womb to the operating table would be seamless.
A Seamless Transition: From Delivery to the Operating Room
The high-stakes procedure took place across two simultaneously prepared operating theaters. In the first room, the cesarean section was performed by lead obstetrician Dr. Gichelle Grace Villaflor. Immediately after birth, the newborn was transferred to the adjacent operating room where the cardiac surgical team was already standing by. After the essential post-natal care was administered, the multidisciplinary heart team performed an open-chest epicardial pacemaker insertion to stabilize the baby’s heart rhythm.
This coordinated approach ensured the infant received critical cardiac support without delay, dramatically increasing the chances of survival during those first vulnerable moments of life. Looking ahead, the patient is scheduled to undergo Cardiac Synchronization Therapy (CST) as the next phase of treatment, which will further refine heart rhythm coordination and support long-term cardiac function.
The Multidisciplinary Experts Behind the Milestone
The success of this complex case was the result of seamless collaboration among a highly specialized medical and care team. The life-saving surgery was performed by congenital cardiac surgeon Dr. Kathleen Rose Mata, supported by pediatric interventional cardiologist Dr. Sheldon Paragas and cardiac electrophysiologist Dr. Jasper Acosta. The intricate task of managing anesthesia was handled by our cardiac anesthesiologists, Dr. Philip Valencia and Dr. Tutti Fuentes. Our pediatric neonatologist, Dr. Charlotte Banes, provided immediate pediatric resuscitative measures prior to surgery, as well as critical neonatal management throughout the postoperative course of the patient. Each specialist played a vital role in ensuring the safety of both mother and child throughout this high-pressure event.
World-Class Cardiac Care Closer to Home
This milestone highlights the growing capability of Davao Doctors Hospital to manage the most complex and time-sensitive pediatric cardiac cases. While similar procedures are often referred to facilities in Luzon, this success proves that world-class medical intervention is now accessible in Mindanao.
For families facing daunting congenital heart diagnoses, this breakthrough offers more than just a medical solution; it offers hope. It reaffirms that the expertise, technology, and multidisciplinary synergy required to save the most fragile lives are available right here in Davao City. At Davao Doctors Hospital, we continue to push the boundaries of medicine, ensuring that timely, life-saving care is always within reach for our community.
