This world first against congenital heart disease is a success: an infant was able to be treated in the United Kingdom, thanks to the injection of stem cells into his heart! Open heart surgery lasted 12 hours and was led by researchers from the University of Bristol.
What is congenital heart disease?
The valiant fighter in question is called Finley, and the first symptoms of his congenital heart disease appeared 4 days after his birth. Congenital heart disease is a heart defect which is, in fact, present from birth. The consequences of the malformation are very variable : if it sometimes does not cause any concern, several heart operations are sometimes necessary to keep the baby alive. Finley, on the other hand, had a transposition of the great arteries and a reversal of the connections of the aorta and the pulmonary artery with the heart.
The most common symptoms are: a heart murmur; a fast, irregular, or frenzied pulse (heart palpitations); an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia); a bluish tinge to the skin, lips, and fingernails (cyanosis); fainting spells.
Congenital heart disease: soon stem cell patches?
His condition deteriorating rapidly following a first surgery, caregivers…