First ALCAPA Surgery done in Jamaica

One year old Daniella received a life-saving heart operation in Jamaica with Chain of Hope’s lead cardiac surgeon Professor Victor Tsang.

Daniella was born with a very complex heart disease known as Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA). This complex heart defect is present when the left coronary artery, which carries blood to the heart muscle, begins from the pulmonary artery instead of the aorta.

Soon after Daniella was born, nurses raised concerns about her breathing and she was diagnosed with ALCAPA. Her parents became very worried about her chances for survival and their abilities to cover the cost of the surgery Daniella would need.

Daniella was suffering and her heart was failing because of lack of oxygen from the blood. The organ was pumping poorly and as a result water was gathering in her lungs. If she could speak, doctors said, she would have been complaining of chronic chest pains, shortness of breath and fatigue, and soon after her weight would have been impacted.

In November 2023, Professor Victor Tsang performed a very complex open-heart surgery on Daniella during Chain of Hope's surgical mission to Jamaica. This surgery was the first of its kind in Jamaica.

Soon after the surgery Daniella was well enough to take a stroll around the Intensive Care Unit, and within two weeks she was discharged and back home with her family to celebrate a new year with a  mended heart.

Categories: Overseas Updates, Children, Press