Doctors at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center held a press conference today to discuss the first surgery in the nation involving the implantation of a heart device in a patient living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
DMD is a genetic disorder, most often seen in boys, that causes muscles to weaken over time, eventually leading to problems with breathing and heart function. It’s estimated the disease occurs in one out of every 3,600 male infants.
Surgeons implanted a Left Ventricular Assist Device inside 29-year-old Jason Williams to support heart function and blood flow. The goal of the procedure is to add years to the lives of patients living with DMD.
