Iraqi child's heart repaired at Penn State Children's Hospital

Hadiya Hussein

Hershey, Pa. -- According to John L. Myers, chief of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at Penn State Children's Hospital, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hadiya Hussein is "doing great!" Hussein is an Iraqi child who was brought to the United States recently for heart surgery to repair a congenital heart defect.

On Thursday, Nov. 3, Children's Heart Group's pediatric cardiothoracic surgery team of Penn State Children's Hospital, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, successfully repaired the defect. Hussein was diagnosed in October with ventricular septal defect (VSD) -- a hole in the wall of the heart between the left and right lower heart chambers (ventricles) that allows blood to flow from the left ventricle to the right ventricle instead of entering the aorta for distribution throughout the body.

Hussein will be cared for at Penn State Children's Hospital for four to six days. She and her father, Mohammed Hussein, will remain in the United States for another month before being cleared to return to Iraq. "I am so grateful for the American people who have helped us," said Hussein. "I want all my fellow countrymen to know how caring Americans are. The United States is the best nation in the world."

Earlier this year, Hussein, Iraqi father of 10, pleaded with American service men and women to help his daughter. He explained that she had a very serious heart defect and if she were not treated, would die. Hussein had unsuccessfully attempted to have his daughter treated in the Middle East. Maj. Bradley Lauver (Linglestown, Pa.) of the Army Reserves (Company B, 490th Civil Affairs Battalion) contacted Penn State Children's Hospital via e-mail to inquire about the possibility of helping.

Following communication with Stephen E. Cyran, chief of pediatric cardiology at Penn State Children's Hospital, back-and-forth (including a medical analysis), the Husseins were invited to travel to the United States with the help of U.S. Rep. Tim Holden (D-17), Pennsylvania business owner Douglas Gelder and the National Guard. They arrived in at JFK International Airport in October.

On Friday, Oct. 21, Cyran examined Hussein in person for the first time. She was diagnosed with ventricular septal defect (VSD). Medium and large VSDs may be repaired by sewing a patch of a special material over the defect. Children who have surgery to repair a VSD before they are 2 years old usually do well, although older children and young adults who have surgical repair may still have some problems with their heart function. These problems, which include abnormal heart rhythms and a slightly reduced pumping ability of the heart, usually are not serious and may be treated with medications.

Variety Children's Lifeline Program will help defray the cost of surgery. Penn State Hershey Medical Center's International Heart Fund will pay for the remainder of cost. The International Heart Fund is an account funded by external gifts that allow Children's Hospital to provide heart repair surgery and intervention to children from the global community who would not otherwise have access to such care.

For donation information, contact the Office of University Development and Alumni Relations at Penn State Hershey Medical Center at (717) 531-8497; P.O. Box 852, Hershey, Pa. 17033-0852. Note "International Heart Fund" in the memo line of the check.

For information about the VSD, check http://live.psu.edu/story/14469 online.

For more information on Variety Children's Lifeline Program, contact Rebecca Palmer at (858) 509-9445 or visit http://www.varietychildrenslifeline.org online.

For more information on Penn State Children's Hospital, check http://www.pennstatechildrens.com online.

For more information on Children's Heart Group, visit http://www.childrensheartgroup.com online.