A 14-year-old boy from the Philippines suffering from congenital heart disease has regained his health after undergoing surgery in South Korea.
On September 15, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital reported that a surgical team led by Professor Lim Jae-hong of the Department of Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery and Professor Lee Joo-won of the Department of Pediatrics successfully performed heart surgery on Vincent Valente, a Filipino national. Vincent was discharged on September 9 and is expected to return to the Philippines after about a week of outpatient treatment in South Korea.
Vincent has suffered from heart disease since birth, but the treatment environment in the Philippines was inadequate. As a student at the 'Maria Boys' Home' in Cebu, he had to travel about five hours to receive heart care at a nearby hospital, and his family's financial situation made it difficult for him to receive proper treatment.
At 11 months old, a German doctor visiting the Philippines suspected a heart condition and conducted an echocardiogram, diagnosing him with an atrial septal defect (ASD). However, he did not receive further treatment and experienced difficulties in daily life, such as shortness of breath with minimal exertion.
A turning point came in November of last year when the Lee Jong-wook Global Health Center at Seoul National University conducted health screenings for students at the Maria Boys' Home as part of a project to improve health and nutrition for low-income youth in the Philippines. The center identified Vincent's condition and decided to invite him to South Korea for treatment at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital.
Vincent was admitted to Bundang Seoul National University Hospital on September 1, where he underwent echocardiography and a cardiac CT scan. The tests revealed not only the existing atrial septal defect but also a partial anomalous pulmonary venous return.
An atrial septal defect is a congenital heart defect characterized by a hole in the wall between the left and right atria. Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return occurs when some pulmonary veins connect to areas other than the left atrium. The combination of these two conditions had caused Vincent's heart to enlarge and his pulmonary vessels to dilate.
The medical team performed surgery on September 4 to close the atrial septal defect and correct the connection of the pulmonary veins to the left atrium. Although the surgery was expected to be challenging due to the significant enlargement of the heart and pulmonary vessels, it was successfully completed.
Vincent began breathing independently without a ventilator the day after the surgery and was discharged in good health on September 9. After returning to the Philippines, the Lee Jong-wook Global Health Center will monitor his health annually during visits to the country.
Professor Lim Jae-hong expressed his sympathy for the child who had to endure heart disease for over a decade without proper care, stating, "We are all grateful that, with the help of various sponsoring organizations, he was able to receive an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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