Our Sixth Post; Game Changer

I believe I am in a better place today. For all his surgeries I am usually calm, cool and collected but for this upcoming surgery, my mind has gotten the best of me. After finding out we were changing our original plan (removing the old pulmonary artery and valve for new ones) everything I was "okay" with, just kind of fell apart in my head. I wasn’t able to talk myself through the procedure and it make sense to me or to Travis.

So yesterday we had a meeting with Ayden's surgeon. My parents, Travis and I met with Dr. Mendeloff at 2pm and discussed in detail what he will be doing. I have included a picture that shows what will be done but I will also describe it too. I hope everyone will understand it - but I know it is very complicated.

First, Ayden will no longer need a pulmonary valve and conduit. Dr. M will be closing up that opening into the heart and removing the conduit and valve entirely.

Second, since the Tricuspid valve has never grown since Ayden was born and since there are not mechanical valves small enough to replace it with, Dr. M has decided it is best to go ahead and close up the valve for good. He will re-route the blood that comes in to the right atrium from the lower part of the body by using a long Gortex tube (a graft).  This will be attached to the Inferior Vena Cava below the heart – reach across the heart and be connected to the Pulmonary Artery – close to where the former pulmonary conduit was connected.  Once this Gortex Tube is in place the whole right side of Ayden's Heart will be shut off permanently. It will still be viable – blood vessels will feed it – but it will not control the blood-flow from his body into his lungs.

As for the muscle that separates the two bottom chambers, Ayden already has a small hole in the very bottom that lets to two different bloods mix. Once Dr. M stops all the blood from coming in to the right Ventricle he may open up another hole to keep blood from building up too much pressure. He will make that decision once he is already in surgery.

On a more positive note, if Ayden adjusts to this new way of blood flow and shows positive signs that his body likes all these changes - then there is a good possibility that Ayden not have to have another Open Heart Surgery. The Gortex tube will be large enough to last through adulthood. Of course he will have some routine maintenance as he gets older and will always have check-ups.

It is hard not to get our hopes up - but we have never heard that before so I am just keeping every piece of me crossed that Ayden does well through this surgery and recovery.

His surgery is still set for next Wednesday the 7th. Surgery will probably start around 8 am or 9 am but we will find out the exact time the day before during his Pre-Ops.

Please don’t forget to put your email down at the very bottom of the blog so you can get the update sent to your email instead of checking for updates.