Dr. Egbe,
Thank you for your most informative article regarding current CHD research. My daughter, @amylandis, was born with coarctation of the aorta and aortic stenosis. At 3 mos., Dr. Perryman at Jackson Memorial Hospital, performed a repair on her valve and also placed a balloon inside the coarcation. At 10 years of age, Dr. Redmond Burke and Miami Children’s Hospital, performed a Ross Procedure. She has since had 3 more open heart surgeries including the last procedure was to insert a mechanical valve and she has been on Coumadin ever since. She constantly battles the Coumadin numbers and frequently must get or give herself Levinox injections. Her pediatric cardiologist from birth was/is Dr. Stephen Iskowitz in Margate, Florida.
She also sees cardiologists in the Orlando/Melbourne Florida area.
My concern is that most cardiologists are not CHD Drs. We would love to know if the technology is coming wherein she would be able to possibly reverse the mechanical valve back into a homograft or other type of valve not requiring Coumadin. If even possible. Would love to have you speak with both Amy and myself about the ongoing and future research. Amy is now 30 years old.
Thank you,
Judy Trudel