Saving Lives in Cardiff: Heart surgeon realises childhood dream
Indu Deglurkar knew she wanted to be a heart surgeon when she was seven years old.She is now internationally-renowned, working between 85 and 120 hours a week, and while her intricate open-heart surgeries usually happen behind closed doors, cameras have now been invited in. Prof Deglurkar said the longest she has spent in the operating theatre was 37 hours with an "extremely unusual" case. The life-saving work of surgeons is being revealed in series two of Saving Lives in Cardiff.
Prof Deglurkar told BBC Radio Wales' Behnaz Akhgar the origin of her career choice as a child was "a bit freaky".After seeing a magazine with pictures of heart-lung machines she remembers "distinctly, as if it were yesterday, poking my dad and saying 'what are these people doing'?"After he explained the doctors were performing open-heart surgery, she "knew that was exactly what I wanted to be doing the rest of my life".
Prof Deglurkar first qualified from Gandhi Medical College in 1991 before she trained in cardio-thoracic surgery in Cambridge, Cardiff and Swansea, followed by Cleveland Clinic in the United States. Until 2014, Prof Deglurkar was one of only five female consultant cardiac surgeons in the UK. The ratio of male to female consultant surgeons in the UK is now about 8:1 with female cardiothoracic surgeons constituting less than 10% of the workforce, according to the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Ireland.Prof Deglurkar performed the first thoraflex hybrid aortic arch aneurysm surgery in Wales.
The new series of Saving Lives in Cardiff features different surgeons as they operate. In episode one Prof Deglurkar is seen operating on a 51-year-old martial arts competitor who is shocked to learn he needs open-heart surgery. She said this surgery was complicated because he also "ends up having an aneurysm of his aorta which is a bulge of the main blood vessel which comes out of the pumping chamber of his heart". She added: "He had no idea that there was anything so serious going on with his heart."This is generally the case with most young patients who develop or have leaky valves... it's not at all rare but it comes as a big shock to the patient."
Prof Deglurkar said operating theatres were usually full of people so she hardly noticed the cameras, with the only difference being the lack of music as Abba, Mozart or The Carpenters punctuate the surgery. "Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On has a way of popping up when we're coming off the heart-lung machine," she said.The team are highly trained so complex surgeries become "almost a reflex procedure because we're doing it all the time" with "very rare and extremely complex cases" requiring them to repeatedly go through scenarios. The longest Prof Deglurkar has spent in the operating theatre is 37 hours, leaving only once for three minutes to have a drink. She said this was an "extremely unusual" case where the 39-year-old patient had had a tear in his aorta - a major blood vessel in the heart - and was operated on but then had to return because the hole graft had become infected."We just didn't give up."Additional reporting by Behnaz Akhgar
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Ex-Loose Women Saira Khan credits 'glowing skin' to one food
The former Loose Women star, 55, opened up about the 'simple' but 'nourishing' item in a social media post Saira Khan has highlighted the potential benefits of a surprising food she enjoys roasting until 'golden and caramelised'. The 55-year-old former Loose Women star asserted that such items are game-changing for glowing skin and are very affordable to buy. "Hasselback butternut squash—simple, nourishing, and ridiculously good," she said in an Instagram post this week. "Thank you to @cotswoldtravellingkitchen for the recipe and inspiration! "Started with a butternut squash, sliced it Hasselback-style (thin cuts, but not all the way through), brushed it with olive oil, sprinkled some seasoning, and roasted it until golden and caramelised. "The result? Soft, buttery squash with crispy edges—the perfect balance of texture and flavour. But here's the best part: cheap, easy, and packed with goodness. Butternut squash is loaded with vitamin A for glowing skin..." Crucially, Saira isn't alone in her thoughts. Specialists at the Cleveland Clinic also assert that vitamin C and beta-carotene, two other nutrients in squash, are especially beneficial for skin health. Some research even suggests that higher vitamin C intake may be linked to a lower likelihood of wrinkles. READ MORE: Andrea Mclean looks 'permanently dishevelled' with symptom after pneumonia Butternut squash isn't the only variant with possible benefits either. Winter, buttercup, and even spaghetti squash are among several types, all with different qualities. Registered dietitian Amber Sommer previously told Cleveland Clinic: "Nutritionally, butternut and acorn squash are arguably the overall [most valuable players], but it's by the slimmest, most subjective of margins. However, don't worry about choosing the healthiest squash. "Instead, choose the ones that taste best to you and try to eat a variety to get the most benefit from eating squash." Saira's insights come shortly after her life completely changed during a two-week fitness and yoga holiday. The TV star said it allowed her to recharge and kickstart significant lifestyle changes, while nourishing herself with the 'right foods'. "For the last two years, stress slowly crept into my life, settling deep within my body in ways I didn't even recognise at first," Saira wrote in a previous Instagram post. "I exercised. I ate what I thought was healthy. But I was also in denial—denial about the refined sugar I was consuming, about the way I was stuck in the exhausting cycle of exercising just to eat. "I blamed fat when in reality, what my body was screaming for me to see was inflammation. No amount of meditation, walks, or attempts at relaxation seemed to break through the invisible wall keeping me from truly healing. "My body bloated despite my efforts, weighed down by the stress and the silent choices I wasn't fully admitting to myself. Then, these last two weeks at @juicemasterretreats changed everything." Saira eliminated refined sugar, meat, and caffeine as part of her overhaul. Rather than focusing on losing weight, she aimed to 'reset' and alleviate the stress that had troubled her for so long. She continued: "And now, I see it. I feel it. I am here, and I got exactly what I came for—peace, healing, and the clarity that comes when you finally listen to what your body is trying to tell you. "Thank you @jasonvale for creating magic and always being so kind and generous to me."
NBC News
30-05-2025
- NBC News
9-year-old San Diego girl's death after dental procedure ruled an accident
More than two months after a 9-year-old San Diego girl died after she underwent anesthesia for a dental procedure, officials have released new details in her death. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the March 18 death of Silvanna Moreno an accident, according to an updated summary report. It listed her cause of death as "methemoglobinemia in the setting of recent nitrous oxide administration." Contributing conditions included the administration of multiple anesthetic medications. Methemoglobinemia is a very rare blood disorder that affects how red blood cells deliver oxygen, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Not everyone experiences symptoms, but nearly all people with the disorder have skin, lips or nails that are blue or purple. In some cases, it can be life-threatening. People can inherit the disorder, but it usually happens "when people use certain medications or recreational drugs or exposure to certain chemicals," according to the Cleveland Clinic. The dental procedure took place on March 18 at Dreamtime Dentistry in Vista. Dr. Ryan Watkins, the office's trained anesthesiologist, said methemoglobinemia can occur with the administration of nitrous oxide. He said Silvanna never exhibited signs that something was wrong during the procedure. "If we had observed any indication of methemoglobinemia, we would have immediately discontinued the procedure and transported her to the hospital for emergency treatment," he said in a statement. The day before the procedure, Silvanna had a fever and was given children's Tylenol, People magazine reported, citing an autopsy report. The day of, she complained of a headache but did not appear to be distressed, it said. The dental procedure was three hours long. Watkins said Silvanna was "a healthy nine-year-old with a history of regular medical checkups" and underwent the office's standard preoperative evaluation. He said he evaluated her as "an appropriate candidate for outpatient general anesthesia" and continuously monitored Silvanna throughout the procedure. Afterwards, she was monitored in a recovery area "until she was awake with stable vital signs," he said. She was evaluated before she was released into her mother's care, he said. Silvanna's family could not be reached for comment on Friday. According to the medical examiner's summary report, Silvanna fell asleep during the car ride home and stayed sleeping upon her arrival. Family members put her in bed and checked on her throughout the day. Her family later found her unresponsive and called 911, according to the summary report. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Watkins said the office is conducting an internal review of the case and will consult with experts "to ensure we continue to provide the safest possible care for our patients." "We are profoundly saddened by the tragic loss of Silvanna Moreno, and our hearts continue to go out to her family during this incredibly difficult time," he said. Watkins was previously investigated by the Dental Board of California after a 54-year-old patient nearly died in 2016, according to NBC San Diego. State investigators said the man was put under anesthesia and was given two drugs, which led to his heart stopping. Investigators had said that one of the drugs should never have been given to the man. Watkins was put on probation from 2020 to 2023, according to a decision order. The man ended up filing a lawsuit against Watkins, which was later settled, NBC San Diego reported.
Daily Mirror
30-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Boy, 8, complains of headache at school then events turn tragic in hours
Ashlee Dahlberg, from Indiana, US, says she felt her son Liam's 'heart fade away' after he suddenly contracted a bacterial infection. She shared the warning signs of the deadly illness A young boy who suffered a headache at school tragically died of a horror infection just hours after complaining about the symptom. Liam Dahlberg, 8, from Indiana, US, came home from class in April and felt unwell. But it wasn't until the following morning that his mum became concerned. His mother, Ashlee Dahlberg, raced him to hospital where she was told that "there's just nothing we could do", after delivering her a devastating diagnosis. Liam had picked up a bacterial infection called Haemophilus influenzae type b, also known as 'H. flu' or 'Hib.' Most children are vaccinated against the deadly illness as a baby, but it is still possible to become infected by it, warned doctors. His mother spoke to local media and said: 'Anybody that contracts it usually dies within 24 hours." Shocking test results from an MRI revealed that the infection had worsened, spreading to his brain and spinal cord. "Basically, at that point in time, there was nothing they could do,' his mum said. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the infection can travel through respiratory droplets and can stay dormant in healthy people, reports New York Post. However, anyone who experiences a low immune system, could see the infection enter the bloodstream - which later can spread to vital organs. Dr. Eric Yancy, a paediatrician in Indianapolis, stressed how quickly Hib can harm patients. 'If it didn't kill the children within a very short period of time, it left many of them with significant complications,' he told 13WMAZ. Despite Liam being vaccinated against the infection, he could have contracted it from someone who wasn't protected. The poor eight-year-old died less than 24 hours after enduring a headache. His mother revealed how she felt his "little heartbeat fade away" before his death. She added: "I would never wish this kind of pain on my worst enemy ever. It's hard. 'To have sat there and listened to the doctors say, 'You did everything right, there's just nothing we could do,' to lay there with him as they took him off life support, I can feel his little heartbeat fade away — there's no words that can describe that pain.'
