A teenage girl needs urgent attention to undergo overseas medical treatment in the form of a surgery, aortic valve replacement and mitral valve repair, to repair a heart defect before she develops heart failure, which her doctors said may be catastrophic.
A medical report from the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital indicated that Amie Touray, 18, a student and based in Kunkujang, was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease about three months ago when she was admitted to the accident and emergency unit department of the hospital with exertional dyspnoea, cough and weakness. The report further stated that after been stabilised at the A/E, a transthoracic echocardiogram was done on 8th March, 2017, which confirmed the diagnosis.
“It showed severe aortic regurgitation and moderate mitral regurgitation. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 66%. Amie recovered from the acute illness and has since then been stable on; Oral Captopril, Oral Furosemide and Oral Pen V,” the report further stated.
“Due to the severity of the valvular lesions, she needs go to oversees for surgical treatment (most likely aortic valve replacement and mitral valve repair) before she develop heart failure which may be irreversible.”
About Rheumatic heart disease
Rheumatic heart disease is a complication of rheumatic fever in which the heart valves are damaged. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that begins with strep throat. It can affect connective tissue throughout the body, especially in the heart, joints, brain and skin. Although rheumatic fever can strike people of all ages, it is most common in children between 5 and 15 years old. The best way to prevent rheumatic fever is to treat strep throat with antibiotics.
The symptoms of rheumatic heart disease vary and damage to the heart often is not readily noticeable. When symptoms do appear, they may depend on the extent and location of the heart damage.
