Four-month-old baby undergoes life-saving open-heart surgery after doctors dismissed him three times

A four-month-old baby who was wrongly diagnosed with colic nearly died three times and had to undergo open heart surgery after suffering a heart attack.

Carter Hornshaw spent six hours under the knife after being diagnosed with the rare heart condition ALCAPA syndrome.

By that point, Carter was in a life-or-death situation: his symptoms had been dismissed as excess gas, scarlet fever, and a throat infection for days. 

Finally, he was so weak that his 20-year-old mother Nikita Kilvington took him to hospital where tests revealed he had a severe heart condition, had suffered a heart attack, and had a 50 percent chance of survival.  

Nikita is now warning other parents to get a second opinion if they are concerned about the original diagnosis and says she dreads to think what what have happened if she hadn’t trusted her instincts. 

Carter (pictured in recovery) was in a life-or-death situation by the time he reached surgery. His symptoms had been dismissed as excess gas, scarlet fever, and a throat infection for days

Carter

Nikita Kilvington

He was so weak that his 20-year-old mother Nikita Kilvington (right) took him to hospital where tests revealed he had a severe heart condition, had suffered a heart attack, and had a 50 percent chance of survival

EXPLAINED: WHAT IS AN ALCAPA 

An ALCAPA (anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery) is a problem that occurs when the baby’s heart is developing early in the pregnancy. The developing blood vessels in the heart do not connect correctly.

In the normal heart, the left coronary artery starts in the aorta. The aorta is the major blood vessel that takes oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

In children with ALCAPA, the left coronary artery starts at the pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery is the major blood vessel that takes oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs.

When this defect occurs, blood that is lacking in oxygen is carried to the left side of the heart. Therefore, the heart does not get enough oxygen. When the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen, the tissue begins to die. This condition leads to a heart attack in the baby.

A condition known as ‘coronary steal’ further damages the heart in babies with ALCAPA. 

The low blood pressure in the pulmonary artery causes blood from the abnormal left coronary artery to flow toward the pulmonary artery instead of toward the heart. 

This results in less blood and oxygen to the heart. This problem will also lead to a heart attack in a baby. Coronary steal develops over time in babies with ALCAPA if the condition is not treated early.

‘I didn’t believe a word the doctors were saying if I’m honest, they kept changing their mind about what was wrong with him,’ Nikita said.

‘At first we were told he had really bad colic, then when I took him back the next day and he was worse, they said it was scarlet fever.

‘We were then told by another doctor the day after it was a throat infection. Nothing seemed to be adding up and it was so frustrating.’

On June 29, concerned Nikita took matters into her own hands and took Carter to Hull Royal Infirmary where his health rapidly deteriorated.

‘He was literally dying in the pram when we got to the hospital, he was really struggling to breath and his heart had swollen.

‘He was covered in tubes, I was a mess seeing him look like that. I felt helpless.

‘It felt like a dream, it all happened to quick it was surreal it must have been a hour after we arrived at A&E we were bluelighted all the way to Leeds.’

Once at the Leeds General Infirmary Carter was placed in ICU and the family had to wait two anxious days before Carter was finally diagnosed with ALCAPA.

ALCAPA is a heart defect in the left coronary artery, which carries blood to the heart muscle, is connected to the pulmonary artery instead of the aorta.

Nikita said: ‘They put a camera inside and finally diagnosed Carter with ALCAPA. It was reassuring to finally have a diagnosis but I was still concerned because it is so rare.

‘The doctor told me he only deals with around three cases a year so I was still very scared for Carter and if he was going to pull through.

‘The next day he suffered a mini heart attack because his heart was so swollen and couldn’t get oxygen to it – it was horrendous.

‘A heart attack is something you associate with old people not a four-month-old baby.’

The following day Carter underwent surgery to save his life while his family, from Hull in East Yorkshire, waited anxiously. 

‘It was agonizing,’ Nikita said. 

Despite the many hours of surgery and being placed in a medically-induced coma, Carter is now recovering

Despite the many hours of surgery and being placed in a medically-induced coma, Carter is now recovering

‘We were all on edge and we could not help but think the worst, I was beside myself. We were told it was a 50/50 chance that Carter would survive and that’s when it hit me I think and I completely broke down.’

Despite the many hours of surgery and being placed in a medically-induced coma, Carter is now recovering.

Nikita said: ‘He has recovered really well and he has amazed all the nurses with how well he’s doing.

‘He will be in hospital for a couple of days but it is terrifying to think what could have happened if we didn’t take him to hospital when we did.

‘I urge any parent who is worried to follow their instincts – without mine Carter might not be with us today.’



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk