Heart Scar

One of the most frightening things parents may ever face is surgery on their baby. It is said that approximately 45% of babies with Down syndrome are born with a congenital heart defect. Many of these defects require corrective surgery. Before you read anything else, know that heart surgery today has a 95-99% survival rate. I can’t minimize the fear and risks involved but it is important to know that these are very common surgeries performed by excellent, experienced pediatric heart surgeons.

The most common defect is a hole in the heart between the two upper and/or lower chambers which allows oxygenated blood to mix with blood that is returning into the heart. These types of defects are called AV Canal (endocardial cushion defect), VSD, and the less common ASD.

The hole in the heart types of defects usually lead to open heart surgery when the baby has gained some weight and grown a bit. The timing of surgery is often decided by balancing weight gain versus the slide toward congestive heart failure (CHF). CHF is the medical term for saying that the heart cannot continue to do its job without the support of medication (lasix, digoxin, etc.) and perhaps oxygen.

While I am talking about such scary stuff, I will also mention there are more rare heart defects that require surgery before a baby can leave the NICU. A coarctation of the aorta is one such defect.

A baby with a congenital heart defect will be followed by a pediatric cardiologist. She will get echocardiograms (a fancy heart ultrasound) and heart x-rays. She might also get an ECG (the test where they stick the wires on her chest and measure the heart’s electrical activity), or even perhaps a heart MRI. All of this information is shared with a pediatric heart surgeon and he will use it to determine the appropriate surgical fix.

When I first heard (at 30 weeks gestation) that my baby would need heart surgery for an AV Canal defect, I was terrified. The sick-to-my-stomach kind of scared. And I had visions of an angry red zipper scar running from the bottom of her neck to her abdomen. When at three weeks old they told me she had a coarctation of the aorta that required immediate surgery, you could have knocked me over with a single breath.

So yeah, I won’t minimize it. Heart surgery is scary for us parents. The first look at recovery is daunting. There are multiple wires and tubes attached, each serving a unique purpose. But, your baby is feeling no pain and she is being cared for by two or more cardiac nurses specially trained to aid in her recovery. You however may need a stiff drink.

The recovery period for a baby is amazingly quick. In most cases, you will be home within two weeks of surgery. Six weeks later, you will stare at your strong happy baby and wonder if it ever really happened. And there it will be, a thin line a few inches long drawn down her chest, the heart scar. The badge of courage and strength, that if kept out of the sun, will nearly fade away over the next few years.



Your Turn
If your baby has a congenital heart defect that requires surgical repair, you may want to take some time to visit the blogs listed under the Sweethearts & Fighters blogroll in the left column. The path is well worn and you may find encouragement and peace as you read through the stories of those who have walked before you.