Can a patient with a septal heart defect travel abroad for surgery?

Question

Hello doctor,

My fiancée was diagnosed with a septal heart defect at the age of 24 years and has been on Viagra to lower her internal heart pressure. However, over the past six years, they say she cannot have surgery to fix it because her internal heart pressure is too high. Her normal BP is 80/40 mmHg, and her oxygen saturation is about 85 % regularly.

For the past year and a half, she has basically been bed-bound because any hard activity for even a slight amount of time puts her out of commission for days. She is miserable, and her quality of life has dramatically decreased. However, the surgery is too risky. She is currently taking Viagra 100 mg and Beraprost sodium 20 mcg.

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and understand your concern. It seems she has a septal defect with Eisenmenger syndrome. She should continue taking these medicines. Regarding treatment options, in some cases, surgery is possible, especially if pulmonary hypertension is reversible. In some cases, a heart-lung transplant is an option.

I hope this helps you.

You can always reach me at icliniq.com.

Thank you.