Latest news with #openheartsurgery
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Baby girl whose parents were told was 'perfectly healthy' needed open-heart surgery
A 'perfectly healthy' County Durham baby was rushed to hospital for open-heart surgery due to a congenital heart defect that was not detected on ultrasounds. Baby Arabella was just 12-days-old when she was taken to Newcastle's Freeman Hospital after her parents, Lauren Robinson and Nathan Bridger, noticed a blue tint to her skin. Lauren, of Willington, told The Northern Echo: "The blue tint developed after a few days. Her hands and feet were always a sort of purple colour too. "After she was born, doctors described Bella as 'perfectly healthy'. We'd seen a few midwives, and I had mentioned about Bella's colour, and they said it was quite normal for newborns. "But when Bella was 12-days-old, we had a health visitor come out. She said, to put our minds at ease, she would like us to see the GP. He took her SATs and they weren't reading good and we were sent to Durham Hospital. "She declined extremely quickly. By the time we got to Durham, Bella's oxygen was that low, that they were very worried and put her on medication". Lauren and Nathan said they were told if the medication worked and raised Arabella's oxygen levels, something was wrong. And it did exactly that, and Arabella was blue-lighted to the Freeman Hospital. Arabella at home the week before the surgery (Image: LAUREN ROBINSON) Lauren, who is a sales team leader and Nathan, a landscape gardener, were told Arabella had Tetralogy of Fallot, a group of four structural abnormalities within the heart that occur together. After receiving the news their baby had a congenital heart condition, Lauren said she was "horrified". "We felt guilty, because they explained that Bella had been struggling for those 12 days at home. It was traumatic. Going from what we thought was a perfectly healthy baby to essentially being told if we had left it a couple more hours Bella wouldn't have made it was horrifying", she said. Lauren continued: "Her heart had essentially struggled for nearly two weeks to the point that her pulmonary artery had completely closed by the time we got to the Freeman. That was on Wednesday, March 12 when we were brought in. We were kept in over the weekend, she was kept stable in ICU, then on the Monday she was fitted with a stent. "We were released on the Friday with a specialist formula to take home as she needed to put weight on for the surgery. So, we knew then she was going to need open-heart surgery, but ideally that's done between six and 11-months-old". But on May 28, baby Arabella was rushed back to the Freeman Hospital as her oxygen saturation levels had dropped dramatically and the family were told she would have to have surgery sooner. She underwent the operation on Monday, June 2 and is thankfully recovering well. Arabella after the surgery (Image: LAUREN ROBINSON) However, little Arabella's family have been told she will need surgery again in the future, as surgeons could not save her pulmonary artery. "They did all of the other fixes because Tetralogy of Fallot is actually four defects in one. They fixed the other three defects, but they had to cut her pulmonary artery out", Lauren said. Arabella's parents praised the surgeon who operated on their baby saying she saved her life. She said: "The surgeon, Louise Kenny, she is absolutely can't thank Freeman enough, because without them and without Louise Kenny, Bella wouldn't be here." Lauren and Nathan are currently staying in onsite accommodation at Freeman Hospital. A GoFundMe has been set up to help them with paying the bills and the costs of looking after Lauren's other two children, 13-year-old twins Lewis and Imogen. Lauren said: "The GoFundMe alleviates some of the pressure as Nathan is not working and I am on statuary maternity pay, so not a lot of money is coming in. We can't thank everyone enough who has donated". You can donate to the fundraiser by clicking here. Lauren and Nathan with baby Arabella (Image: LAUREN ROBINSON)
Free Malaysia Today
14-06-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
14-year-old needs RM90,000 for life-saving heart procedure
Nur Haziqah Mohd Rosdi suffers from atrial septal defect and mitral regurgitation. (Persatuan Kebajikan Sayap Kasih Malaysia pic) PETALING JAYA : One's teenage years are usually a fascinating phase of life. It's a time for self-discovery, dreaming big, and imagining the possibilities that lie ahead. For Nur Haziqah Mohd Rosdi, however, life is different. The 14-year-old has a severe congenital heart defect and is now in critical condition, urgently requiring life-saving open-heart surgery. Haziqah was born with atrial septal defect (ASD), or a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart. This causes oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood to mix, forcing the heart to work harder and reducing its efficiency. She also suffers from mitral regurgitation – a condition where the mitral valve, located between the left atrium and left ventricle, doesn't close properly. This causes blood to flow backward into the atrium during heart contractions. Although these conditions were present at birth, her parents had thought they weren't serious as she seemed healthy and active. And despite doctors having recommended surgery to repair the septal defect, the family put it on hold because of financial constraints. To compound matters, Haziqah's father and sister experience seizures. Both are unable to work and are registered as persons with disabilities (OKU). Her mother stays home full-time to care for the family, and they do not have a steady source of income. Haziqah hopes to get better, return to school, and take care of her family. (Persatuan Kebajikan Sayap Kasih Malaysia pic) This year, Haziqah's condition worsened significantly when she began to experience severe oxygen shortage, chest tightness and shortness of breath. Multiple hospital visits and tests revealed that the hole in her heart has enlarged and she is now in heart failure. She urgently needs surgery to close the hole in her heart and repair her mitral valve – a procedure that will give her a real chance of survival and improve her long-term quality of life. Sadly, the cost of RM90,000 is far beyond what her family can afford. The family has turned to Persatuan Kebajikan Sayap Kasih Malaysia (formerly known as the Malaysian Association for the Welfare of Mentally Challenged Children) for help. According to case worker Ben Wong, the association began fundraising for Haziqah's surgery on June 6. 'Your contribution, no matter how small, can bring her one step closer to healing. By donating, you're giving her a future filled with hope, laughter and the chance to grow up healthy,' he told FMT Lifestyle. For Haziqah, her family's well-being is ultimately what's important. 'I don't want my mum to worry. I want to get better, go back to school, and one day take care of my family,' she said. If you wish to donate, contributions can be made directly to Persatuan Kebajikan Sayap Kasih Malaysia, Ambank account number 8881 0609 91545. Please reference 'CASE 53' in your transactions. Kindly email a copy of your receipt to beniq70plus@ or send it via WhatsApp to Ben Wong at 010-238 7072. For further information, visit Persatuan Kebajikan Sayap Kasih Malaysia's Facebook profile. Persatuan Kebajikan Sayap Kasih Malaysia 118 & 120 Jalan Gasing, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
BBC News
08-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
DIY SOS star Mark Millar to walk with surgeon who saved his life
A television star who went through open-heart surgery is to walk alongside the surgeon who saved his SOS' Mark Millar suffered a heart attack while open water swimming in the sea at Clevedon earlier this year."The NHS gave me a second chance at life. I enjoy my free time and seeing friends, and life seems simple but it's very full now," he Millar will join others walking 10km around Bristol's harbour to raise money for the Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity, with his surgeon Prof Gianni Angelini. Mr Millar said there were a few "red flags" in the run up to his heart attack that he dismissed as "aches and pains.""I was getting indigestion in the middle of the night, and I kept having numbness in my left arm which felt like I had an injection."I was also getting exhausted in the afternoons."When the heart attack happened, it felt "like a ratchet strap" around his Millar's life was saved by his friends and his inflatable swimming was told by surgeons at the Bristol Royal Infirmary's Heart Institute that he had cardiovascular disease and needed immediate surgery."It turns out it was hereditary, my dad died from a heart attack. "I could live on triple filtered water and lettuce leaves for the rest of my life and my body would still produce this cholesterol," he told BBC Radio Bristol. Mr Millar said he had been given a "second chance" by the surgeons who saved his life, and wanted to give something back."A 10k walk for me now is like running a marathon, but I've been given the chance to do this walk and I'm going to do it with my doctor," he Big Bristol Walk leaves from the Amphitheatre at 10:00 BST.
ABC News
30-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Palestinian children sent back to war-ravaged Gaza after medical treatment in Jordan
Family reunions are normally times of happiness and joy. For Palestinian mother Enas Abu Daqqa, any relief in seeing her children after more than two months away has been tempered with deep anxiety. Earlier this year she was evacuated from Gaza to Jordan along with her baby daughter Niveen, who desperately needed open-heart surgery. "The treatment was excellent, she underwent surgery and the preparation was thorough," Enas told the ABC. "The doctors in Jordan, at a specialised hospital, were highly dedicated." Enas and Niveen left Gaza in March, while a ceasefire was in force. They have returned to an intense bombardment, with the family now living in a tent in "suffocating heat". "We were deeply afraid of returning, coming back to war and fear," Enas said. "We would have preferred not to come back at this time — a ceasefire would have made things easier." Enas also said her daughter, who was born with a hole in her heart, had been sent back to Gaza before her treatment was completed — a claim Jordanian authorities have denied. "I was not able to obtain her medical records, which are essential for continuing her care," she said. "Of course I missed my children, my family, my parents and the ones I love in Gaza — yet … I fear for my daughter. "I am afraid that her health deteriorates — she is not gaining weight, I fear she'll experience heart failure." Niveen was among the first of a planned 2,000 Gazan children to be evacuated from the enclave and taken to Jordan for medical treatment. Now those children have started being sent back to the war-ravaged strip, despite protests from their families. Some parents, such as Enas, also claim their children have been sent back to Gaza before their medical treatment was finished. The ABC first met Enas and Niveen when they were brought into Jordan in early March. It had taken the ambulances a full day's travel cross-country from the European Hospital in southern Gaza before arriving at the King Hussein border crossing in the West Bank. But relief was etched across the young mother's face, despite the arduous journey. Her daughter, then just five months old, was finally getting help. The return trip in mid-May was very different. "The situation was terrifying as we made our way back," she said. "We had to stop constantly along the road, I had no diapers, no milk for her, and not even water to keep her hydrated." Along the way, Enas received distressing news. Her husband and their other children were injured in an attack while waiting for their return to the European Hospital. Then they arrived at the Gaza border and were searched by Israelis, who confiscated personal belongings before letting them cross. The Jordanian government said it was "unfortunately true" that Gazans had been searched. Enas and Niveen were not the only ones sent back into a war zone. Mohammed Qatoush and his nine-year-old son, Abdul, were in the same convoy that returned to Gaza from Jordan in mid-May. Abdul lost a leg in an Israeli air strike and needed a prosthesis fitted by doctors in Jordan. But Mohammed said Abdul's new prosthetic leg was too big for him. "When we fit a prosthetic leg, it's meant to avoid causing any damage to his remaining limb," Mohammed said. "However, this prosthetic is 2 centimetres longer than it should be. "We informed the doctors about the issue, but they gave the excuse that he would grow taller." Mohammed said the doctors insisted the larger prosthetic would last four to five years without needing to be replaced. "This means he's essentially stuck with it for four years, which could lead to additional problems with his hips," he said. "They address one issue, only to create another that will need treatment." Worried about his son's wellbeing, Mohammed sought other medical opinions in Jordan. "I met with Belgian doctors who examined the prosthetic — they informed me that using this particular prosthetic could cause long-term damage to his joint," he said. "We were deceived — instead of allowing us to complete our treatment, they brought us back to Gaza where the European Hospital was bombed. "I am truly grateful to the people of Jordan for their kindness, but the government did not provide any support for our expenses." Mohammed and Abdul's journey back from Jordan was also scarring. Israeli security contractors searched them when they were re-entering Gaza, Mohammed said. "We were freaking out," he said. "My son was under the seat in the bus. "They stopped the Jordanian bus that was taking us — 10 Jeeps surrounded us, they were pointing their guns at us, the children were terrorised." Israel's defense ministry confirmed searches were carried out. "During the security check of Gaza residents returning from medical treatment in Jordan, some individuals were found carrying undeclared cash amounts exceeding normal limits," it said in a statement. "The funds, suspected of being intended for terrorist use within Gaza, are being held while the circumstances are investigated." Jordanian officials said it was made clear to Palestinians being evacuated that they would have to return after completing their medical treatment "to allow Jordan to bring more patients". Seventeen children and their escorts were returned in mid-May, and another 10 Palestinian children needing cancer treatment have been evacuated from Gaza since. "Jordan's policy is to support Palestinians' steadfastness on their homeland, and not to contribute in any way to their displacement," Minister of Government Communication and Government spokesperson Mohammad Momani said in a statement. "These patients were brought to Jordan and returned to Gaza under the same circumstances." Mr Momani said it was "completely false" to suggest the children were returned to Gaza without finishing their medical treatment, and were not appropriately supported in Jordan. "They all received the best medical care at Jordan's top hospitals, and their families were provided with the best possible accommodations," he said. "Some of these patients underwent delicate surgeries, and they are all in good health now."
RNZ News
20-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Fiji hospital promises Kiwis complex surgeries for 'a fraction' of the cost in New Zealand
Open-heart surgery at Pacific Specialist Healthcare Hospital in Nadi. Photo: Shalendra Prasad A private hospital in Fiji is promising "state of the art care" for medical tourists worldwide, and right now it has its eyes set on New Zealand. Pacific Specialist Healthcare (PSH) chief executive Parvish Kumar said that his hospital is now accepting referrals for Kiwi patients. Kumar told RNZ Pacific that they can offer complex heart, brain, and spine surgeries for "a fraction" of the cost of private care in New Zealand, and with no wait time. "We are clearing patients here in Fiji and in the region, and we do have the space and scope to do more. So I thought, let me just extend this also to my fellow New Zealanders," he said. "Maybe at the same time we could also give them about a week or two week holiday in Fiji." Kumar said that his hospital can offer coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), a common heart surgery, for around NZ$21,000. According to that would cost between $50,000 and $75,000 in Aotearoa if done privately. PSH also offers spinal cord decompression surgery for around $14,000 to $18,000, and major brain tumour removal for between $21,000 and $28,000. Private spinal surgery in New Zealand ranges between $30,000 - $250,000, according to PolicyWise. PSH Hospitals is Fiji's largest state-of-the-art 130-bed specialty private hospital situated opposite the Nadi International Airport in Legalega. Photo: PSH The added bonus: a week of recovery spent relaxing in Suva. Although these types of surgeries are free under Aotearoa's public health system, more and more patients are facing wait times exceeding four months. According to the Ministry of Health, the number of patients waiting longer than four months for treatment ranged from over 27,000 and over 37,000 from March 2024 to February 2025. Kumar said that he wants to make Fiji the premier destination for medical tourism in the Pacific, in line with the Fijian government's goals to improving both tourism and health infrastructure. Photo: PSH Group The Fiji government allocated FJ$451.8 million "to deliver quality health care services to Fijians" in its 2024-2025 Budget. In 2022, approximately two percent of Fiji's tourists engaged in health and medical activities during their visit, according to Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka. Gavoka said that he would like to see Fiji's health infrastructure develop in order to attract more medical tourists. "Fiji aims to emulate successful examples like India, which attracts many Fijians and Pacific Islanders annually for medical treatments." This comes at a time when Fiji's public health system struggles to meet demand, thanks to rapidly aging health infrastructure and a shortage of supplies. RNZ reported in 2024 that Fiji's mental health system needs to nearly double the number of beds available for mental health patients. Kumar told RNZ that the state of Fiji's healthcare system has nothing to do with his hospital. "We are independently and privately funded." He said that he receives no funding from the government, but is currently pushing for tax relief. "In any country, the private system can always spearhead or fast-track development compared to the public system, because the public systems normally have a lot of bureaucracy and red tape." Dr Sarah Fairley, Medical director, Kia Manawanui Trust Photo: Kia Manawanui Trust However, doctors in New Zealand are generally skeptical about medical tourism. Dr Sarah Fairley, cardiologist and medical director of the Kia Manawanui Trust, told RNZ that PSH's offers seem too good to be true. "I think this is probably the first time that I have seen, and certainly my colleagues have seen medical tourism related to cardiac surgery." "I think people should really embark on this with an abundance of caution." Dr Fairley said that she believes most doctors would steer away from recomending that their patients go overseas, especially when it comes to the heart. A direct flight from New Zealand to Suva can take anywhere between 3 to 5 hours. That is enough time in the air, Dr Fairley said, for significant health risks to present post-surgery. "if you've had cardiac surgery where you've had a surgeon that puts an incision in your chest, you have to have a cut in your breast bone or your sternum to get to the heart, and that's essentially a fracture" That would increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis, or a blood clot in a deep vein. "I think certainly even a three hour flight in my head would be not without risk from a DVT point of view." "What is the cost of emergency evacuation or repatriating you back to New Zealand, where that can be managed?" Kumar said that, at the end of the day, a New Zealand doctor has to sign off on a patient coming in order for his hospital to accept them. "After the surgery has been done, then we'll give them the clearance and then they can fly back." In response to Dr Fairley's comments, Kumar said that PSH uses a team trained in advanced countries. "What we did was to simply recruit the same heart surgeons that the advanced hospitals in India were utilising, and together with the surgeon, we also recruited the support team from operating theatre staffs to ICU and recovery staff." "Our cardiac department has had an excellent 100% success rate and we are very proud of this. "While the NZ health system does provide open heart procedures for free to its residents/citizens, patients who are not that critical many times end up waiting to get the procedure done." Ultimately, that failure of Aotearoa's public health system to meet demand is the reason why this conversation is necessary, Dr Fairley said. "This is a reflection of the fact that the current system is failing lots of our patients." "There may be people that are getting into this position where they're desperate, I think fundamentally, that's the opportunistic thing about health care overseas."
