Doctors at an Inland Empire hospital have successfully done a heart procedure so rare it will be highlighted in medical publications.
Colleen Barber is as strong as ever which is amazing.
When she was only 19 days old doctors at Loma Linda University Medical Center gave her a heart transplant because her heart was under developed.
For 32 years she's been living a healthy life.
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"It's just something I grew up with, learned with and learned to deal with it," Barber said.
But years later doctors discovered that Barber's new heart had an issue. Because her heart was so tiny at first it was undetectable during her transplant.
"We found out that as this heart grew with her body there was a small hole in the heart in the transplant," said Dr. Amr Mohsen, from the Loma Linda University Medical Center. "When she was that young looks like over the years this hole grew in size."
Mohsen says they had to close that hole which can be a relatively safe and easy procedure but not with a transplanted heart.
In fact, Barber's case is extremely rare and also very dangerous because of possible fatal complications.
"Transplanted hearts are not usually in the body in the same position like your native heart, so we had to be careful and do extra measures and extra imaging and testing and involve multiple experts," Mohsen said.
The hole was located between two chambers at the top of Barber's heart.
The procedure to close it began with a small catheter which was inserted into a vein that connects to the heart.
The catheter allowed doctors to insert a special device.
"We then deploy this device," said Dr. Jason Hoff, from the Loma Linda University Medical Center. "It's basically two discs that sandwich the hole closed."
Hoff says that computer imaging shows how that device closes the hole allowing for the heart to pump strong and normal.
Thankfully the procedure went perfectly.
"This problem is over," Hoff said. "This hole is closed and she can go living and not have to worry about it."
Barber calls it an incredible collaboration between doctors, nurses and technology. All of them near and dear to her heart.
"I always cherish my life, I'll probably cherish it a lot more knowing that this has happened," Barber said. "You got to be careful for each day you have on this Earth."
