I have said quite often through this experience that we could not be in better hands. We’ve been lucky enough to find out early, do some diagnostic imaging, plan for success, etc. I even heard great things about the surgeon in town. So today I thought I would look into him a little bit more. I read this in an article today when I searched for Dr. Nikaidoh, the surgeon who is likely going to be doing Rowan’s repair work:
The optimal surgical management of patients with transposition of the great arteries with a ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis remains challenging. When compared to other surgical options, the Nikaidoh procedure results in a ‘more normal’ anatomic result, with better alignment of the right and left ventricular outflow tracts. Also, the pulmonary outflow is less likely to be compressed by the sternum, a major issue associated with the Rastelli repair. This technique is especially useful in the presence of an inlet or restrictive ventricular septal defect, a hypoplastic right ventricle, a straddling atrioventricular valve and/or anomalous coronary anatomy interfering with a distal right ventricular outflow tract incision. (http://mmcts.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/2008/0220/mmcts.2006.002337)
I became extremely emotional when I read this. I had no idea that the procedure the surgeon who will be helping our son developed had anything to do defects that Rowan has. You might think that there can’t be that many heart defects in children, but there is quite list. I hadn’t read much on the surgeon yet and decided to try to during my daughter’s naptime.
My pediatric cardiologist said there wasn’t much point to meeting with a surgeon until after Rowan gets here, but I am beginning to wonder if my husband and I wouldn’t both feel better if we did.
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