Preston Porter, an 11-year-old boy from Virginia, recently underwent a pioneering surgery at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., to replace his mechanical mitral valve with a living donor valve. This major medical milestone happened just after Preston had outgrown his artificial valve. He’d gotten that valve at the age of one after physicians found a heart defect when he was admitted with a severe virus at the mere 20 months of age.
For years, Preston had to deal with a host of complications caused by his heart condition. He had taken blood-thinning medication in order to prevent clots from forming on his new mechanical valve. This process meant he had to endure weekly blood draws and intense dietary restrictions. Even worse, the medication made him incapable of playing sports, inhibiting his ability to do all the normal things that kids of his age do.
As time marched on, it was obvious that Preston had outgrown his mechanical valve by the first of January this year. Given that consideration, his medical team sought out a living donor valve. Chief of cardiothoracic surgery Dr. Yves d’Udekem was the discussion leader. At first, Preston’s mother, Lauren Porter, said she was apprehensive about the cutting-edge surgery.
“My initial reaction was, no, this is too new. There’s no data,” – Porter
Preston was excited when he found out that the surgery would allow him to be more active. The prospect of a better, brighter world filled him with pure exhilaration.
“When we first told him that this was an option, he said, ‘So this means I could be a normal kid,’” – Porter
The surgery went well and was the beginning of a new chapter for Preston. Her procedure was a partial heart transplant in which the artificial valve was removed and replaced with a living donor mitral valve. This new valve is intended to grow with him, offering long-term gains.
“It’s living so it can grow with him,” – d’Udekem
After surgery, Preston will begin a low dosage of anti-rejection medications to help prevent rejection of the new heart. This will allow his body to accept the new valve. His successful surgery freed him of the medical limitations that his environment had put on him. What it closed off, though, were thrilling opportunities in his young life.
Having released himself from the shackles of his past, taboo-like disorder, Preston can now look forward to playing flag football. He’s revved up to enhance his fitness game in other ways too.
“He’s a very active kid. You know, over the years he’s missed out on a lot,” – Lauren Porter
