Teenage Boy Undergoes Surgery to Prevent Rare Genetic Heart Condition

Acute Aortic Dissection rare genetic condition

By Mavic Thompson , Parent Herald Mar 30, 01:30 pm

A teen underwent a medical procedure as a preventive measure due to a genetic, life-threatening heart condition. Ayden Fireck, a teen from Houston, had preventive surgery due to a rare medical condition that runs in their family.

Amy Fireck, Ayden's mother, almost died from a rare heart condition that took her father's life. As a precaution, the family wants to avoid the same thing from happening to their children, according to a report on Fox 26 Houston.

Acute Aortic Dissection (AAD)

Amy had an aortic dissection, which is a condition where the aorta walls tear from within, resulting in the separation of the aortic wall layers. The aorta is the main artery that delivers oxygen; it carries blood away from the heart and the rest of the body.

According to a book entitled Aortic Dissection by Dr. Levy and his colleagues, acute aortic dissection or AAD is a rare heart condition but can be very catastrophic.AAD occurs when the aortic wall layers separate, and the tear within the intimal layer results in a progression of the dissection. This dissection, which can either be proximal or retrograde, is due to the entry of blood between the media and intima. AAD is associated with extremely high mortality, where most people do not even reach the emergency department.

Dr. Anthony Estrera, a Professor and Chair of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery with McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston and Medical Director of Cardiovascular ICU and Cardiovascular IMU at Memorial Hermann Heart and Vascular Institute, said that aortic dissection is a very painful condition. The experience of Amy Fireck was a severe life-threatening emergency.

Amy describes it as a tightening and burning feeling from her chest and into her neck. It was like being seared with a hot poker, and Amy felt a severe heat all over the left side of her face.

Many people die suddenly because of aortic dissection. Amy was lucky that the surgeons were able to race Amy to the operating room and repaired her aorta. However, her dad was not so lucky. Seven years before Amy's emergency room incident, her dad died from the same condition. Their goal is to ensure that awareness about the said genetic condition is made known to others.

Preventive solutions to AAD

The Firecks are trying to prevent the same thing from happening again, and they started by undergoing genetic testing. According to The CDC, genetic testing is beneficial in diagnosing genetic conditions and medical care for the patient or the family. Thanks to genetic testing, a procedure was performed on Ayden to spare him from the same incident that both his grandpa and mom experienced.

It was a tricky surgery, but the doctors were able to replace Ayden's aortic root and save his aortic valve. They will also replace the pipe with a synthetic one and rebuild his aortic valve into a said pipe. Ayden need not take life-long blood thinners, thanks to the procedure.