Thiruvananthapuram’s Sree Avitam Thirunal (SAT) Hospital has reached a historic milestone in pediatric heart disease treatment in the state. Over the past three years, 1,000 children who sought heart disease care at SAT Hospital were given a new chance at life through exceptional treatment, led by the Pediatric Cardiology Department. This remarkable achievement was accomplished under the leadership of Dr. S. Lakshmi, Head of the Pediatric Cardiology Department.

SAT Hospital offers free ECMO services, a life-saving treatment that can cost up to Rs 15 lakh in private hospitals. Additionally, SAT performs highly complex heart surgeries at no cost to patients. In 2024 alone, over 300 children were treated through catheter interventions, avoiding the need for open-heart surgery. In the past six years, the Pediatric Cardiology Department has conducted more than 850 pediatric cardiac interventions and successfully completed over 150 open-heart surgeries.

SAT is equipped with cutting-edge facilities, including a dedicated pediatric cardiac catheterization laboratory, a pediatric-exclusive cardiac surgery theater, a post-operative ICU, and advanced echocardiography machines.

SAT is making remarkable strides in the treatment of children's heart diseases, utilizing state-of-the-art medical equipment. The hospital’s mission is to provide treatment for all children born with heart conditions across the state. Children from various states, including Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, travel to SAT for care. It was in 2007 that the SAT launched the first pediatric cardiology department in the government sector. Cardiology specialty OPDs will be held on all Tuesdays and Saturdays.