Lucknow, Feb 19 (IANS): Doctors at the King George's Medical University (KGMU) have successfully conducted heart surgery and a Caesarean section delivery on a patient.

Dr Sudhir Singh, spokesperson, KGMU, said, "Such a complex procedure for a pregnant woman was conducted for the first time in Uttar Pradesh to the best of our knowledge. Both mother and newborn are healthy."

The 27-year-old patient came into the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, as a case of full-term pregnancy with a serious heart disease. She was referred to the KGMU by several hospitals of Uttarakhand owing to a life-threatening condition with pregnancy, said Dr Singh.

Mostly such patients collapse while going through active labour or after anaesthesia because their heart cannot tolerate major surgical procedures. She was refused surgery by various hospitals and referred to a higher centre.

Prof S.K. Singh of the department of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery (CVTS) said the delivery of a baby was a great challenge.

"She had high chances of dying during childbirth by C-section and heart correction surgery. After brainstorming by a multidisciplinary team (obstetricians, cardiac anaesthetists, and cardiac surgeons), it was decided to save the woman and her baby by doing Caesarean section and cardiac surgery in a single sitting," he said.