Ms. Ngoc Diem (32 years old, in Long An) discovered that her fetus had a congenital heart defect at the 16th week thanks to a fetal echocardiogram at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. The doctor diagnosed the fetus with Ebstein type C, a rare and dangerous disease with a rate of 1% in congenital heart diseases. There are no symptoms, but the disease causes severe tricuspid valve regurgitation, leading to rapid heart failure after birth.

Closely monitored during pregnancy, the baby was born safely at 39 weeks, weighing 2.9 kg. The baby was cared for and resuscitated in the delivery room. A pediatric cardiologist performed an echocardiogram at the bedside and noted that the tricuspid valve had many leaflets stuck together, causing the baby's right atrium to enlarge and the right ventricle to become small. The baby suffered from severe heart failure, with a 45% risk of death according to the echocardiogram.

By predicting the condition of the disease in the fetus, the Pediatric Cardiologists adjusted the dose of heart failure medication weekly, closely coordinating with the Neonatologist and Nutritionist to provide intensive care for the baby to gain enough weight (6kg) to ensure safe surgery. At 7 months old, the baby had successful tricuspid valve repair surgery, keeping both ventricles functioning normally. The baby is currently developing healthily and continues to be monitored regularly by the Pediatric Cardiologist.

Congenital heart disease is one of the most common diseases in the group of congenital malformations in children with a rate of about 8-10/1,000 children born. In Vietnam, each year, there are about more than 1.5 million children born, equivalent to about 12,000-15,000 children with congenital heart defects. Despite significant advances in surgical treatment and cardiovascular intervention, congenital heart disease still leaves a burden of disease and is the leading cause of death in newborns.

Prof. Dr. Norman Henry Silverman - Professor of Pediatric Cardiology at Stanford University, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, said that ultrasound diagnosis of congenital heart disease in the fetus is one of the most advanced techniques in cardiology. Diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart disease and structural heart disease in the fetus and immediately after birth helps to coordinate effective treatment, increasing the child's chance of survival. The information was shared by the Professor at the International Cardiology Conference "Update on the management of congenital heart disease and structural heart disease: From fetus to adult", taking place from October 13-15, 2023 at Tam Anh Research Institute, Ho Chi Minh City.

Previously, the technical conditions for pediatric echocardiography in Vietnam were limited, making it difficult for doctors to accurately assess and advise cases of suspected congenital heart disease. Many congenital heart defects were missed in prenatal screening programs, which could lead to serious illness or even death. Currently, many modern devices have been introduced, especially with the support of AI technology, to help accurately diagnose severe congenital heart disease in the fetus.

Tam Anh General Hospital is equipped with GE Healthcare's Voluson E10 ultrasound machine with copyrighted software applying artificial intelligence (AI) combined with a multi-tasking touch screen using X-touch technology to image the heart structure of a coin-sized fetus in extremely clear 4-dimensional space. The machine automatically separates each blood vessel, helping doctors conveniently assess and detect abnormalities. All at the touch of a button, giving outstandingly accurate results, shortening diagnosis time by 70%.

The super AI "algorithm" in the GE Vivid E95 echocardiogram machine automatically identifies regions of interest (ROI) to help doctors calculate ejection fraction (EF), assess heart function, identify abnormalities and measure heart structure completely automatically and quickly with just one button. AI technology combined with 8-size echocardiogram probes from newborns to adults helps diagnose more accurately, shortens time, and is especially optimal for echocardiography in infants and young children.

According to Dr. Vu Nang Phuc, Head of the Congenital Heart Department, Cardiovascular Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, the application of AI technology in echocardiography to diagnose and treat congenital heart disease and structural heart disease has helped many children with congenital heart disease to be detected early, intervened promptly, and saved at Tam Anh General Hospital, similar to the case of the child of pregnant woman Ngoc Diem.

*Patient's name has been changed