Surgeons make history, perform world’s first living mitral valve replacement
Surgeons with Duke Health have made a bit of history, performing the world’s first living mitral valve replacement. It was part of a series of heart procedures that saved the lives of three young girls.
The patient who underwent the first-of-its-kind valve replacement was 14-year-old Margaret Van Bruggen, who was diagnosed with endocarditis. She received the mitral valve of 11-year-old Journi Kelly, who had just undergone a full heart transplant after going into sudden heart failure. Another one of Kelly’s heart valves was donated to a third patient, 9-year-old Kensley Frizzell, who was diagnosed with Turner’s syndrome.
One of the surgeons who performed the living mitral valve replacement was Douglas Overbey, MD, an assistant professor in the department of surgery at Duke University School of Medicine.
“There's not a good valve option for kids,” he explained in a Duke statement. “They all require multiple surgeries, and we know they're going to fail down the road. That's something that's really hard to talk to parents about, knowing that you're going to have to do the same surgery with a new valve, maybe six months later because they're going to outgrow it.”
With living valve replacements, however, the valves continue to grow, limiting the need for additional procedures. Duke specialists have been leaders in this space for years, working closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as they explore new options for treating these high-risk heart patients.
Parents share their perspectives: ‘The whole situation is extraordinary’
“Before Journi’s surgery, we were told the doctors were hoping to try a new procedure and asked if we were willing to donate Journi’s old heart,” explained Rachel Kelly, Journi Kelly’s stepmom. “They explained to us that they could use the healthy parts of it to help other kids. Our next question was, ‘Where do we sign?’”
“The whole situation is extraordinary, whether you look at it from the standpoint of a scientific breakthrough or the average person’s point of view,” added Kenan Frizzel, Kensley Frizzel’s father. “I can’t imagine all the coordination that’s needed for something like this to take place, but as one of the families that benefited, we can’t be anything other than grateful.”
Elizabeth Van Bruggen’s mother, Margaret, also commented on the procedures, saying her daughter has “a lot left to give the world.”
“She was in the hospital, and we could’ve lost her,” she said. “But she was so brave, so I knew I had to be brave too.”
Click here for more details from Duke Health.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.