Barnes-Jewish Hospital

The first four months of Yaheng’s pregnancy were routine. Everything was on track—until the 20‑week ultrasound, when the technician noticed something unusual.

Yaheng’s OB‑GYN referred her to the Fetal Heart Center, a partnership between Barnes‑Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children's Hospital, and WashU Medicine, for a closer look.

There, Yaheng and her husband, Jeff, learned that their baby had two rare and life‑threatening congenital heart conditions: truncus arteriosus and an interrupted aortic arch. Together, the diagnoses meant their baby’s heart couldn’t send blood where it needed to go. Without surgery, the risks to his development—and his life—were severe.

“It was quite shocking and just took a long time for us to process,” Yaheng recalls.

Within days, Yaheng and Jeff met with Caroline K. Lee, MD, a WashU Medicine pediatric cardiologist, and Pirooz Eghtesady, MD, PhD, a WashU Medicine pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, to begin planning coordinated care—before their son was even born.

“By diagnosing heart defects before a baby is born, we can help prepare families for what to expect, what procedures will be needed, and coordinate care for a safe delivery for both mom and baby,” Dr. Lee says.

In July 2023, Yaheng delivered her son, Ben, at Barnes‑Jewish, where teams were prepared to support both mother and baby from the very beginning. Shortly after birth, Ben was transferred to St. Louis Children’s for specialized pediatric heart surgery, with his care plan already in place.

At just five days old, Ben underwent a seven‑hour open‑heart surgery. Dr. Eghtesady reconstructed Ben’s heart—creating a pulmonary trunk, repairing his aorta, and restoring healthy blood flow throughout his body.

After weeks of recovery under close monitoring, Ben went home seventeen days after his surgery.

Today, Ben is a healthy, rambunctious 2‑year‑old with endless energy and a love for anything with a motor. While his care will continue as he grows, his parents face the future with confidence—supported by the same team that was preparing for Ben long before he ever took his first breath.

Read Ben’s full story to see how early diagnosis, coordinated expertise, and seamless care helped change the course of one family’s future: https://heyor.ca/1S7nwW