A baby born in Van, eastern Türkiye, with a rare and life-threatening heart defect has made a remarkable recovery following advanced treatment in Istanbul, after being transported by a Ministry of Health air ambulance just a day after birth.
The child, Muhammed Akın Dağgezen, developed cyanosis — a condition marked by dangerously low oxygen levels — within hours of being born. Doctors identified the condition as critical and arranged an emergency transfer to Koşuyolu High Specialization Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul.
Rare congenital heart defect diagnosed
Initial echocardiography revealed that the right side of the baby’s heart was severely underdeveloped, a condition that can be fatal without intervention. Doctors also found that blood flow to the lungs was dependent on a temporary connection between the aorta and pulmonary artery.
Medication was immediately administered to keep this connection open, allowing oxygenated blood to reach the lungs while further treatment was planned.
Multi-stage intervention saves life
On the baby’s fourth day of life, doctors performed an angiography. A balloon procedure was attempted through the groin to widen the underdeveloped pulmonary vessel. When this proved insufficient, stents were placed inside the heart and the crucial blood vessel, significantly improving blood flow to the lungs.
Following the procedure, the baby’s oxygen levels rose sharply and cyanosis reduced. At the time of admission, the infant weighed just 2 kg, and oxygen saturation levels ranged between 50% and 70%. Within three weeks, saturation improved to over 85%, allowing the baby to return to Van for follow-up care.
Growth allows near-normal heart surgery
Over 13 months of monitoring, doctors observed encouraging development of both the pulmonary vessels and the right heart chamber. At six months, the right ventricle showed unexpected growth.
“Initially, we had planned a single-ventricle surgery,” said Prof Ayşe İnci Yıldırım, Pediatric Cardiologist at Koşuyolu Hospital. “But the heart’s development allowed us to perform a near-normal, two-ventricle repair.”
The corrective surgery was later carried out successfully, and the baby was discharged in good health.
Doctors highlight medical milestone
Associate Professor Metin Songur said the procedures were particularly challenging due to the baby’s age and low weight. However, follow-up examinations showed normal oxygen levels, no cyanosis and strong heart function by the age of one.
Doctors described the case as an example of how early diagnosis, rapid air transport and staged cardiac intervention can save lives even in the most complex congenital heart conditions.