Meet 8-year-old George from Macclesfield. When George was two years old, his parents,
Jenny, and Nick, noticed he had a persistent cough and was wheezing. Concerned, they took him to their GP, who suspected a heart murmur. A referral to their local hospital led to an ultrasound, which uncovered a surprising and very rare heart condition- A Large Sinus of Valsava Aneurysm, a condition found in less than 0.09% of the general population.
A sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is a rare heart condition where there is an abnormal “bulge”
or dilation in part of the wall of the aorta (the large blood vessel leaving the heart). This
happens due to a localised weakness in the proximal part of the aorta. Although this
condition often has no symptoms, it can lead to serious life-threatening complications like
rupture of the aneurysm.
George was rapidly transferred to Alder Hey Heart Centre for further tests, including an
Echocardiogram and Heart CT scan, which help to create a picture of George’s heart and
nearby blood vessels to confirm the diagnosis and plan the operation. The results revealed a giant aneurysm which was compressing the surrounding vital structures of the heart, major blood vessels and airway pipes, confirming that George would need urgent life-saving surgery.
Most patients are diagnosed during adulthood, and it is extremely rare a diagnosis during
childhood. George’s diagnosis and operation at two years of age is a very unique case
worldwide.
George was reviewed by Mr. Rafael Guerrero, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon and Director of the Heart Centre at Alder Hey and two days later, on October 22, 2016, George underwent a complex surgery to repair the aneurysm. George recovered well and was discharged just four days later.
Mr Rafael Guerrero said “George’s condition is extremely rare, even more so in children of this age. In George’s case he had serious symptoms due to the huge size of the “bulge” or
aneurysm; but thanks to his parents who brought him to medical attention he received
prompt treatment. The surgery was extremely complex and high risk; requiring careful
planning to safely remove the giant aneurysm and reconstruct the Aorta. This involved open heart surgery and stopping the heart for some time to allow the repair of the internal part of the heart and the malformation as well as relieving the compression of the surrounding organs. Thanks to our brilliant team the operation was a success, everything went well and he was discharged home within a few days”
“My self and the team are absolutely delighted that George is thriving and enjoying life, it has been a privilege for us to be able to help George and his parents”.
Mr Rafael Guerrero, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon and Director of the Heart Centre at Alder Hey
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital has an Innovation Department which looks at the use of
cutting edge-technology and innovative techniques to save and improve the lives of our
children and young people. The innovation team, which Mr Guerrero is co-founder and
Clinical Director of, produced a 3D print of George’s heart which helped them to prepare for this particularly challenging surgery and to be use for education and training of this rare condition.
George’s mum Jenny said – “The team that looked after us were fantastic. George’s diagnosis was unexpected and very traumatic. Everything happened so quickly, from his symptoms, to diagnosis, to the operation. The nurses, clinical staff, surgery team, were all so kind to us- they used to call him Batman to cheer him up. One of the ladies in the surgery team even cancelled her annual leave so she could help manage the operating theatre. Mr Guerrero and the team saved George’s life and I’m so grateful and so proud of how far he’s come.”
Fast forward six years and George is thriving. He loves school and is obsessed with football and plays for Bollington United and dreams of becoming a professional footballer one day.
When he was old enough to understand what had happened to him, George wanted to do something to give back to the hospital that saved his life. He recently completed the Mile for Smiles challenge set by Alder Hey Children’s Charity, walking over 65 miles and raising £1,000.
George’s mum continued: “ George couldn’t believe he was asked to turn on the Christmas lights at Alder Hey this year and is so excited.”