But the butterflies were actually in her heart. She was born with an Atrial Septal Defect , a hole between her heart's two upper chambers. That put her at risk for serious heart problems. Anja adds, "It gets tight. It feels tight in my chest sometimes."
Fixing a problem like Anja's used to mean open heart surgery. However, she's having a far less invasive procedure that closes the hole with a prosthetic patch.
"We have a metal framework that sits around both sides of the defect to keep the tissue in place," said Dr. Robert Vincent.
The procedure takes less than an hour. Guided by real-time imaging, doctors send a catheter through the femoral vein. A thin tube guides the patch into the heart. Once it's in place over the hole, it's visible on the ultrasound. Over time, tissue grows over it, sealing it in place permanently.
"It's really awesome to be able to come in on the day of the procedure, have it done and go home either that day or the next day without any surgery, without any incision and any stitches," adds Dr. Vincent.
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WEB PRODUCED BY: Scott Curkin
