Pulling
on
Your
Heartstrings
Advances in medicine and
open heart surgery saved
the life of 18-month-old
Harper Mae Hutchinson.
BY TRACY FEDKOE
Y
ou’d never know that typical toddler Harper Mae
Hutchinson, who has an infectious smile and loves to be
the center of attention, didn’t start out as a healthy strong
baby. Even before she was born, her parents, Rachel (Keenan)
Hutchinson of Mt. Lebanon, and Chris Hutchinson of Bethel
Park, knew their baby had a heart defect. A sonogram
followed by prenatal echocardiogram discovered that
Harper had a large Ventrical Septal Defect (VSD), which is
a hole in the wall separating the two lower chambers of the
heart that causes the heart and lungs to work much harder.
She was born on August 8, 2012, and the VSD was
confirmed along with an additional heart defect called
Stenosis of the Pulmonary Valve—a terrifying diagnosis for
first-time parents. The Hutchinsons did get to take her home
with the slim possibility that her heart may heal itself, but
knew that open-heart surgery may be needed. Her doctors wanted
to wait until at least 12 weeks to do the surgery, but at seven weeks
and only 10 lbs., Harper couldn’t wait any longer and underwent
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open-heart surgery on October 1, 2012, at
heart
Children’s Hospital.
During the surgery, it was discovered
that Harper had suffered a heart attack,
most likely in utero. Complications
required her chest to remain
open for five days in the
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.
With expert medical care at
Children’s Hospital and her
parents by her side 24/7,
she was able to go home in
just 10 days and has made a
remarkable recovery. Harper
is just one of the many success
stories made possible through advances in medicine, research,
and new technology, which are supported in part by the many
volunteers and donors of the American Heart Association. Her