Anika's Very Healthy Heart

Yesterday we had our annual check-up with the Pediatric Cardiologist (heart doctor). I started this blog with the title, Anika's very healthy heart because I didn't want anyone to misunderstand the nature of our visit with Dr. Spangler. Nothing to worry about... just a very interesting lesson in how uniquely we are all built!

It's also amazing to me how many images you can pull up online -- I have great pictures of what Dr. Spangler showed me -- to illustrate why Anika's heart is a little different that the average heart. Dr. Spangler called it a "variation of normal."

This is a graphic of an average, normal heart. You cannot see the aortic valve (the part on Anika that is different than the average) because it is in the center of the heart. You can see the large red tubes above and below the heart that are the aorta (descending and arch). These send blood out to the body.

This is a cross-section view of the aortic valve in the average human. It has 3 sections which open and close as the heart beats to allow the blood to flow through. This graphic shows a "bicuspid valve," you can see the comparison with the normal 3 sections and the variation with 2 sections.

Anika had a heart "murmur" detected when she was 18 months old. Our pediatrician's office has a cardiac specialist on staff, Dr. Spangler, who was brought over to evaluate immediately. He agreed there was a murmur, and Anika was schedule for an echo cardiogram (like an ultra sound of her heart). Since she was so young (little!) it was hard for them to see exactly what was going on... but he did determine that the odd sound (the murmur) was coming from her aortic valve. There was a sloshing sound in her heart beat which meant there might have been some leaking in the valve. He felt she probably had a bicuspid valve -- because the 2 flaps don't close as completely as a 3 valved aortic valve -- therefore are not as efficient, and sometime allow blood to flow back. This would have been the source of the "murmur." In text book cases of bicuspid valves there are other risk factors, tightening of the valve and eventually needing surgery to replace the valve completely.

Anika did not fit any of the risk-factor symptoms, so he told us not to worry. He did want to keep a close watch on her heart as she grew, so that if any complications did come up, we would be aware of the possibilities. Anika has never shown any signs of having a stressed heart, or any other health issues outside of the occasional cold and crud.

At the appointment yesterday Dr. Spangler had another echo cardiogram done, and since Anika was older this time (5 1/2 years) they could see the valve much better. I guess when she was 18 months old the valve was so small it was hard to "read" ... now it's just about as big as the tip of a pencil eraser!! They were able to get very good pictures of the valve... which gave us a clearer diagnosis.

Anika actually does have a 3 valved aortic valve... but it's not equally divided between the 3 sections. One section is quite large, the other two, together are not as big as the 1st section. There might possibly be some fusing between the two smaller valves, but either way it is not causing problems in the function of the valve. Her aortic valve is functioning very well -- almost no leaking, and no other complicating symptoms, like tightening. He mentioned that in young children there is often occasional leaking in various valves, hers is no greater than the average child with an average heart/valve.

GREAT NEWS!!

So the last little big of news from our meeting with the doctor is that she has unusual arteries coming out of her aorta. In this picture you can see the red arteries going vertically down the heart. In the average human heart, there are two arteries coming out to feed the right and left ventricles of the heart.

Anika has 3! She has 3 separate arteries that flow out of her aorta, 2 on left(?) side, 1 on the right(or vise versa). Dr. Spangler said this is a variation of normal as well -- but certainly not a negative variation... actually a better variation. She will have a stronger, more continual flow of blood around her heart for the rest of her life!

Anika will still get to visit with Dr. Spangler about every 3 years while she is growing up. She is still in the very low risk factor category, and has no limitations physically or medically. Yeah!!

Anika did such a good job listening and cooperating at Dr. Spangler's office, he gave her the "Best Patient of the Month" award -- a cute little "gingerbread" Boyd's Bear! She was quite tickled, and hasn't let go of her bear yet!!