Baby with heart condition after surgery ‘chilled’ and cured

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDJun 18 2010

Four month old baby Finley Burton was taken for a routine visit to his doctor when two holes were detected in his heart. He subsequently underwent an intricate heart operation to close these holes that were making it difficult for his heart to pump out blood. Right after the operation he developed irregular, erratic heart beats that went over 200 beats per minute. This could have killed him but doctors in Britain found a miracle solution for the problem. They lowered his body temperature.

Finley’s parents revealed that his lack of weight gain at 10 weeks age was beginning to worry them. When he was checked out at the University Hospital of North Durham, the two holes in his heart showed up. One was a large one at the top and another small one at the bottom of the heart. There was also a narrowing of an important artery of the heart. This was making his lungs work harder eventually leaving him breathless and unable to feed adequately. The surgery took place two days later. While the operation was a success, Finley heart started on a too fast, too irregular beat that would have killed him.

Doctors lowered his body temperature by more than 3 degree Celsius by keeping him in a special blanket filled with chilled air for four days. Normally a baby’s body temperature is 37 degrees. The doctors here lowered it to 33.4 degrees. He was also sedated and fitted with a pacemaker to slow his heart rate down. On cooling his body, a hospital spokesman said his “metabolic rate” slowed down protecting his vital organs like the brain. He was then gradually weaned off the cooling blanket and his paralysis and temperature came back to normal. His heart by then had started beating normally. The procedure took place at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital.

At present he is recovering from the operation and its aftermath at home in Easington Colliery, County Durham. According to the happy mum Ms Link-Emery, 27, “Now he's doing really well and has already put on lots of weight.” Paddy Walsh, a specialist children's cardiac nurse said, “When we close off the hole babies start breathing at a lovely rate and they manage to feed beautifully.”