Archive for Albert McKeon
Accepting kindness and happiness: Ways Spencer’s family navigated his heart transplant
Spencer Brock and his family recently vacationed in Ireland. They caught up with aunts, uncles, and cousins, and Spencer enjoyed visiting playgrounds, an amusement park, and a zoo. It was a dream-come-true trip in many ways. In October 2024, only six weeks after he was born, Spencer was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy, a severe disease that ... Read More about Accepting kindness and happiness: Ways Spencer’s family navigated his heart transplant
Biventricular repair linked to better outcomes in superior-inferior ventricles treatment
The complexity of superior-inferior ventricles — a condition in which one ventricle is positioned on top of the other — has often limited surgical treatment. But Boston Children’s heart specialists recognized an opportunity to make treatment for the rare condition more accessible to children. Their solution has been a procedure the hospital is at the ... Read More about Biventricular repair linked to better outcomes in superior-inferior ventricles treatment
First-of-its-kind pressurization test could improve Ross procedure outcomes
The Ross procedure is a preferred surgery to treat severe aortic valve disease. The procedure replaces the failing valve with a patient’s own pulmonary valve. It’s an effective treatment option, but some patients have had complications. After surgery, the root of their aortic valve — where the valve connects with the heart — enlarges and causes ... Read More about First-of-its-kind pressurization test could improve Ross procedure outcomes
Four things you should know about MAPCAs treatment
As the first grandchild in her family, Hannah Homan is in demand for frequent visits. She was also the focus of attention last month when she turned 1. It’s been happy times for her parents, Amanda and Brian, but they couldn’t see that far ahead early last year. They had received a worrisome heart diagnosis ... Read More about Four things you should know about MAPCAs treatment
Treating MAPCAs with unifocalization surgery and cardiology care
Children born with a rare form of tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) face a challenging type of congenital heart disease. Known as ToF with pulmonary atresia and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs), the condition often requires a child to have many operations and cardiology procedures to restore blood flow to the lungs and protect their heart from damage. But a team ... Read More about Treating MAPCAs with unifocalization surgery and cardiology care
After surgeries to treat HLHS, Carter is healthy and happy at home in Florida
Carter Miller loves action. The 4-year-old Florida resident enjoys riding on golf carts and flying high on swing sets. It’s the kind of fun that make his parents, Andrea and Bo, appreciate where the family is now. Nearly five years ago, they were worried after a prenatal diagnosis showed Carter would be born with a ... Read More about After surgeries to treat HLHS, Carter is healthy and happy at home in Florida
Advancing global health: Using AI to detect heart disease in children
In many low- and middle-income countries, pediatric cardiologists can’t help children with congenital heart conditions because of a critical hurdle. They don’t have easy access to advanced diagnostic technology. Key takeaways Children in many countries are not receiving proper heart care because they’re not being diagnosed. AI-powered electrocardiogram (AI-ECG) models could give cardiologists in these ... Read More about Advancing global health: Using AI to detect heart disease in children
Help your child manage anxiety about school violence
With news of school shootings and other violence often reaching children, parents sometimes grapple with how to help their child cope with fear and stress. We asked Erica Lee, PhD, a psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Boston Children’s, to offer suggestions on how you can ensure your child feels safe and comfortable going to ... Read More about Help your child manage anxiety about school violence
The exciting life of Jack, the first successful fetal cardiac intervention patient
Jack Miller sometimes reaches out to his cardiologist, Dr. Wayne Tworetzky, with updates on his life. Recently, their conversations centered around Jack pushing himself while training to be a police officer. The physical endurance Jack needed for training was another example of how the fetal cardiac intervention that Dr. Tworetzky and the specialists of the Fetal Cardiology Program performed on ... Read More about The exciting life of Jack, the first successful fetal cardiac intervention patient
Unique data revealed just when Mickey’s heart doctors could operate
When Mikolaj “Mickey” Karski’s family traveled from Poland to Boston to get him heart care, they weren’t thinking about pressure-volume (PV) loops. His parents simply wanted him to receive treatment for a complex condition that he couldn’t get back home. Little did they know the mathematical computational power of those PV loops would play a ... Read More about Unique data revealed just when Mickey’s heart doctors could operate