The day Artie Porter was born, surgeons at the Stollery Children’s Hospital urgently created a passage between the chambers of his heart, so oxygenated blood could reach the rest of his body. Six days later, Artie underwent successful open-heart surgery.
Artie’s parents, loved ones, and the team at the Stollery were prepared for the rocky start thanks to a diagnosis of d-TGA – a rare congenital heart defect – discovered at a third-trimester ultrasound at MIC Medical Imaging.
MIC sonographer Whitney Lane noticed inconsistencies during the obstetrical ultrasound appointment. After discussing her findings with an on-site radiologist, the team was able to provide a diagnosis which led to the surgical intervention that saved Artie’s life.
Congenital heart disease affects about 1 in 100 babies born in Canada, and as Whitney says, “we do have the power to catch things that could potentially save a life.”
To learn more about Artie’s story, visit: https://bit.ly/NAIT-Heart-Defect-Story