6-year-old has endured open-heart surgeries, yet remains a happy little girl Nov 15, 2009
Hannah Martin has four of the most common: tetralogy of fallot, pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect and overriding aorta. Structural malformations range in severity from simple problems such as holes between chambers of the heart, to severe defects, such as the absence of one or more chambers or valves. (Florida Today)
Paige: Extra chromosome, extra special Nov 5, 2009
I told them I wasnt worried about that, I just wanted her heart to be OK. An echocardiogram later revealed a small ventricular septal defect. I didnt care that she had Down syndrome, she was my beautiful baby girl and thats all I saw. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Sport)
Heart study finds key gene to warm-bloodedness Sep 8, 2009
Finding the genetic factor meant studying the cardiac systems of turtles and lizards, engineering the genes of specially bred mice, and investigating a congenital disorder known as "holes in the heart," or, in medical terms, ventricular septal defect ... His investigation was sparked by a physician colleague who told Bruneau about a cardiac problem in newborn infants he was treating at UCSF. The ventricular septal defect can occur in as many as 5 infants in every 1,000 births. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Science)
Secrets of the 4 chambers revealed by reptile hearts Sep 3, 2009
And a large portion of that is due to VSD, or ventricular septum defects. The condition is frequently correctable with surgery. (EurekAlert!)
No thank you to socialized health Aug 16, 2009
My daughter was born with a VSD heart defect. This is not a health or life threatening defect. (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
Hospitals help tiny baby overcome odds Jun 24, 2009
Madeline had a large ventricular septal defect, a hole in her heart called VSD.. "It wasn't that rare for her to have a VSD, but it's certainly rare for her to survive and do so well after being born three months premature" and at such a small weight, Pophal said. (AZCentral)
Senior projects take shape Apr 2, 2009
These are just some of the interests and professions that seniors at Bret Harte High School are learning about as they work on their senior projects, now in their second year of existence at the school. To get credit for a senior project, students must work with a mentor in the community to learn a new skill or complete a project, do all the work involved, write a paper about their experience and then present their completed projects to the school and community. (San Andreas Calaveras Enterprise, CA)
Appeal starts for cat needing heart surgery Mar 13, 2009
He diagnosed Reece with ventricular septal defect. "That's basically a hole in the wall between the two chambers," said Rena Ost, a volunteer who runs AnimaLovers' clinic and foster program for cats. (Albany Times Union)
More of this story Feb 15, 2009
The physicians who discovered a boy with a ventricular septal defect in his heart are making arrangements with a Boston hospital for the surgery, that normally costs 6,000, to be performed free of charge. One of the volunteers was moved to turn over some of his frequent flyer miles to the boy and his mother. (Westerly Sun, RI)
