Kirsty - with the back to front heart

[ali_alic]

The little girl Kirsty (sorry - can't remember her surname) with the back to front heart. She was in the papers again this weekend due to her donation-raising efforts. What I would like to know is why can't the doctors either turn her heart around or give her a heart transplant. Surely she can't be too young? Does anyone know why its not feasible for her condition??

[BUNNY]

Do you know,I tried to find an answer to your question and couldnt.Now I'm intrigued.Hope theres a cardiac surgeon online!!!

[PinkFizz]

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id= 471302006

What about this girl?

[Octavius]

Kirsty Howard was born in 1995 with a rare inoperable heart condition - her heart is back to front, so that all her other organs are misplaced and she has only a single pumping heart chamber. Kirsty has had nine cardiac procedures and her day-to-day living is severely restricted by abnormal blood vessels developing in her lung.

In February 1999, she was given only six weeks to live but is still today the figurehead for Kirsty's Appeal..

In 2001, Kirsty was the mascot for the 2002 World Cup qualifying match between England and Greece. Commentator John Motson called her "the bravest person on the pitch", as she accompanied David Beckham onto the pitch with her 20 kg oxygen tank.

Her condition is inoperable, and requires extensive treatment, including a constant oxygen supply. Kirsty is the only person in the UK, and only the second in the world, diagnosed with this condition; the condition is reportedly so rare that it does not have a name.

[ali_alic]

Thanks Octavious - I just wanted to know why it was inoperable - maybe coz the other organs wouldn't line up correctly then? I also thought it was so rare that it hadn't been given a name, yet the article Pinkfiz found states that 1 in 4,000 are affected by a back to front heart. Confusing. I just find it hard to believe that in this day and age of face-swaps, heart swaps, using animal parts etc, that it is still inoperable

[Octavius]

I suspect her (Kirsty) condition may be more complicated. Maybe one day they will be able to do something for her.

[-Zorro-]

Every time I see her pic I just want to hug her. She always has the pipes or whatever coming out of her nose yet always has a smile on her face