Page 25 - Waterfall Issue 5 2021

Netcare Sunninghill
Hospital

cOnGenItAl

HeArt dIseAse

Born with a Broken Heart

By Dr Erich Schürmann, Adult and
Congenital Cardiothoracic Surgeon,
Maboneng Heart & Lung Institute,
Netcare Sunninghill Hospital

n ine months of excitement of babies with severe CHD will sadly with poor growth, recurrent lung

not survive to see their first birthday.
infections and heart failure.
is coming to an exhilarating
climax. The baby room is ready.
surgical, medical and intensive care
lungs, in which case the baby presents
Your family is waiting for news However, with access to advanced - Second is diminished blood to the
with bated breath. Between the ambient interventions, 83% of these babies could with blue discolouration due to the
noises in the operating theatre, you hear, survive to celebrate many birthdays. lack of oxygen in the blood, of which
“Congratulations, it’s a healthy boy.” Tears Tetralogy of Fallot is a famous example.
of joy cascade down your cheeks. Back in What is cHd? - Third is the narrowing of chambers,
the ward you drift into a deep, peaceful CHD comprises a wide spectrum of valves or blood vessels where the
sleep. “Mrs Smith, Mrs Smith!” You slowly abnormalities, which may vary in baby’s symptoms are determined
open your eyes. “Mrs Smith, I’m your severity from mild to severe. Certain by the site of the narrowing.
baby’s doctor. unfortunately, I have to tell abnormalities such as the infamous ‘blue - Last is a combination of all three
you that your baby has a heart defect . . .” babies’ (Tetralogy of Fallot) are apparent of the above and is usually
from birth, while others such as the the most severe subtype.
This is a scenario that plays out much occult bicuspid aortic valve may only
too often in South Africa. Congenital become problematic during adulthood. How can cHd be treated?
Heart Disease (CHD) is the most common Congenital cardiac surgery is arguably
congenital defect, with one percent of all CHD can be broadly categorised the most cost-effective discipline in
newborn babies having an underlying into four subtypes: medicine. Even though the initial
congenital heart defect. In South - The first is excessive blood flow financial burden to correct these
Africa, this equates to 12 000 babies to the lungs, such as a ventricular abnormalities is high, the vast majority
born with CHD every year. Without septal defect (the infamous ‘hole in of these children survive into late
specialised medical intervention, 75% the heart’) where the baby presents adulthood with a close to average life

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