I just realized I forgot to tell you all exactly what they will be doing during the surgery. They will separate the heart circulation and make it function as a normal two ventricle heart. To do this, they will take down all the PDA and Ventricular stints that were placed in prior surgeries, along with repair any damage to the aorta from the stint. They will also remove the pulmonary bands and repair the scar tissue. They may need to remove some scar tissue that built up in the tip of the left ventricle.
Currently, Natalie’s heart is what they call a mixer. Her blood from her left and right ventricle mix via the stints and then is sent out to the body. The surgery will completely separate the blood flow and make the left and right operate independently, the way that ours does. That is the goal. So there is your anatomy lesson today minus all the scientific terms. I hope that helps.
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