Iranian Infant With Heart Defect Set For Surgery, Says OHSU

The four-month-old Iranian infant who arrived in at OHSU on Tuesday is set for the potentially lifesaving surgery that will lead to her leaving a normal life.

Fatemeh Reshad was born with a rare heart defect that only affects two out of every 10,000 newborns. Her arteries - instead of bringing blood from her heart to her lungs - bypass the lungs, depriving the rest of her organs of the oxygen that they need.

Fatemeh's arrival in Portland was delayed by one week when President Trump's executive order restricting the ability of the residents of seven predominantly Muslim countries to visit the United States.

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On Friday, doctors performed a cardiac catheterization, which allows them to determine how much damage had been done to Fatemeh's lungs.

"The procedure went well today," said Laurie Armsby, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics and interim head, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital, OHSU School of Medicine. "Despite the excess of blood passing through her lungs we believe we can proceed with surgical correction as planned."

Armsby said the results were encouraging.

"Fatemeh's heart defects can be repaired by closing the holes in her heart and reconnecting the transposed arteries to the proper pumping chambers of the heart,” said Irving Shen, M.D., professor of surgery and head of the Division of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital, OHSU School of Medicine, and a nationally accomplished expert on Fatemeh's condition.

If Fatemeh had been born in the United States, the defect would have been diagnosed and treated immediately. If the situation had gone on for months as opposed to weeks, however, Armsby says it could have become irreversible.

While New York's Mount Sinai Hospital - another institution with experts in this condition - OHSU was chosen because Fatemeh's grandparents and uncle live in Portland.

"Families are as important as doctors and nurses to help children survive and thrive," said Dr. Dana Braner, the chief physician at Oregon Health Sciences University Hospital. "This child coming here to Portland where her grandparents live and her uncle lives, will give the child a chance to be supported by the family.

"We believe that's a good thing."

Armsby agreed.

"Having a family nearby to give aid and comfort to a child we believe is extraordinarily important for a child to recover," she said.

The hospital stresses its doctors are waiving their fees and the hospital is donating its services - as it says for thousands of children every year. It also says that no public funds will be used for her care.

"OHSU Doernbecher provides a significant amount of uncompensated care every year to ensure that the ability to pay does not prevent children from accessing OHSU's services," the hospital said in a statement. "We are fortunate to receive donations from the community to offset some of our uncompensated care costs."

OHSU says that individuals who would like to ensure their funds are used solely to benefit Fatemeh and her family can visit generosity.com. A page has been set up by Murray and Seideman. Those gifts are not tax-deductible.

The hospital also says that tax-deductible gifts to the Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation benefit all children and families in need. The Doernbecher Patient Care and Comfort Fund supports costs associated with medical care, lodging and travel of OHSU Doernbecher families in need. Monetary donations may be made online, or a check may be sent to: Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation, 1121 S.W. Salmon Street, Suite 100, Portland, OR 97205

Braner says they are proud to be helping Fatemeh — that giving her care is in keeping with Doernbecher’s 90-year history.

"We have never turned a way a child and never expect to," he said. "Every child is amazing. Every child deserves the best care. Every child adds something to the world that’s never been added before.

"We are here to take care of every child that we can."

If all goes as planned, Fatemeh's health care team expects her to be cared for in hospital for up to three weeks.

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Photos and diagram courtesy OHSU