Woman Had Heart Surgery Minutes After Having Twins And Survives

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Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Also Included In: Heart Disease;  Cardiovascular / Cardiology;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 18 Apr 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Nina Whear, 38, of Lamas, Norfolk, England, has survived heart surgery just minutes after giving birth to twins. Her husband was told to say goodbye when doctors had given her a 7% chance of survival. A hospital chaplain was brought in to comfort her during her last moments.

When Mrs. Whear was found to have a tear in the wall of the aorta - an aortic dissection - at the ninth month of her pregnancy, doctors carried out an emergency c-section (cesarean). An aortic dissection affects the blood flow and can lead to death.

On January 6th Mrs. Whear became ill at home. She was initially treated by ambulance technicians and given oxygen. They took her to Norwich University Hospital, and then went to Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, where her twins were born and she underwent surgery.

Mrs. Whear is now at home with Alfie and Evie, her two twins, who weighed in at 4lb 10oz and 3lb 11oz respectively.

Mrs. Whear says she remembers husband Andy being brought in and they were left alone to say their goodbyes. She thought she was going to die and wanted to do it calmly. When she woke up after the operation she was unable to speak and tried to signal to the nurse that she could not believe she was still alive. "I was so shocked that I didn't even think about the fact I had just had twins, I was just amazed to be alive," Whear added.

What is aortic dissection?

The aorta is the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. If pressure on the artery wall is high the inner layer of the artery wall dissects (splits open) - the inner and middle layers separate. The pulses of blood get inside the artery wall and under the inner layer - splitting the aorta even more. Generally, the tear continues to get bigger, towards where the aorta branches. The tear usually runs distally (away from the heart). If the blood-filled channel ruptures through the outside aortic wall, aortic dissection is usually fatal.

Written by - Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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