Stage II: Bi-directional Glenn

Well we have a date for our next surgery.  It's Wednesday!  At the cath conference last week the entire team decided it was best to keep Lucy in the hospital and schedule her next surgery.  We are certainly glad that they decided to do the surgery as we have heard HLHS kids do so much better after the Glenn operation.  However, we are not looking forward to the recovery process.  We know it is small steps but it sometimes feels like we just got finished recovering.  The recovery process for the second surgery is supposed to be much quicker.  The two reasons for that are the doctors do not have to stop her heart for surgery and she is on the bypass machine for a much shorter amount of  time.  Average recovery time is about six days.  We know Lucy is anything but average, so we are expecting a slightly longer recovery time.

So here is a recap of the first surgery and what we are in store for on Wednesday.

Norwood Procedure:  This procedure is performed shortly after birth. It converts the right ventricle into the main ventricle pumping blood to both the lungs and the body. This surgery usually is done within the first 2 weeks of a baby’s life. Surgeons create a “new” aorta and connect it to the right ventricle. They also place a tube (Sano Shunt) from the right ventricle to the vessels supplying the lungs (pulmonary arteries). Thus, the right ventricle can pump blood to both the lungs and the rest of the body. After this procedure, an infant’s skin still might look bluish because oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood still mix in the heart.

Bi-directional Glenn Operation:  This operation usually is performed about three to six months after the Norwood to divert half of the blood to the lungs when circulation through the lungs no longer needs as much pressure from the ventricle. The shunt to the pulmonary arteries is disconnected and the right pulmonary artery is connected directly to the superior vena cava, the vein that brings deoxygenated blood from the upper part of the body to the heart. This sends half of the deoxygenated blood directly to the lungs without going through the ventricle.

The surgical team also likes to extubate before leaving the operating room so they can see how the pressure to the lungs is.  This is very exciting for us because we hate seeing her with that breathing tube, especially now that she has started 'talking' to us.  Lastly we were told that Lucy can look a little blue from the chest up after surgery due to venous blood taking longer to drain.

Lucy has been a happy baby since we have been back, we are hoping it's not because she likes the hospital better than home!  We are chalking it up to the medications that help her heart.  As of Sunday morning her IV fell out and they decided not to stick her again.  They are just going to monitor her vitals off the medication, hoping she will remain stable until Wednesday.

I may be biased but she is so stinking cute!

Prayers for God's hands on all aspects of the surgery Wednesday would be greatly appreciated.