A Brighter Future For Babies With Heart Defects
Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Director of Pediatric Cardiovascular Services Mount Sinai Health System As the father of two children, I can only imagine how overwhelming it feels for expectant parents to hear their obstetrician say, "Your baby may have a heart defect." But it is important for parents to know that this news doesn’t necessarily mean it is a serious problem, and if it is, even babies born with the most complex heart defects can survive to live happy, fulfilling lives, thanks to great advances in the care provided during cardiac surgery and recovery. At the far end of the spectrum are more complex structural defects that require a very involved, difficult operation in the first few days of a baby's life, such as transposition of the great arteries, a defect that occurs when the main blood vessels are attached to the wrong chambers of the heart. Some complex defects, like hypoplastic left heart syndrome, require at least two more operations over the next several years. On the other hand, some defects, like hypoplastic left heart syndrome, make the heart so structurally abnormal that, despite surgery that allows them to survive, grow, and function, these children will still have limitations.
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