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  • Photo by Bridget Bese

    Wight family
February 11, 2007

Woodward boy surviving rare heart defect

Watching Tristan Wight in action would make it hard to guess that the rambunctious five year old was born with a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD).

CHD is the number one birth defect and affects of 32,000 babies each year. Some children with CHD suffer very minimal defects while others, like Tristan, have defects of a very rare kind.

Ultrasounds during Dawn Wight’s pregnancy did not detect Tristan’s heart defect. Born five weeks early and taken by caesarean section Tristan immediately began to turn blue and his oxygen saturation and blood pressure dropped.

Tristan was immediately transported to OU Medical Center and it was soon discovered that he had a very rare heart defect called Hypo-plastic Right Heart Syndrome. The right ventricle of Tristan’s heart had failed to develop and he was born with only three heart chambers. Without the fourth chamber Tristan’s heart and lungs could not receive oxygenated blood. His chances of survival were slim.

Chris and Dawn Wight were faced with the option of a heart transplant or open-heart surgery for their baby boy. When it became apparent that Tristan would not survive the length of time it would take to find a new heart for him, open-heart surgery became the one and only option.

Dr. Christopher Knott-Craig, a renowned heart surgeon, was the doctor who performed Tristan’s first surgery and the surgeries following. The surgery was successful.

“There’s not very many doctors who would do the surgery they did on Tristan,” said Dawn Wight. “It’s amazing what surgeons can do.”

Tristan who would like to be the next “Crocodile Hunter” or a doctor when he grows up. He especially admires his doctor, Dr. Kenan Kirkendall, and even dressed up as Dr. Kirkendall for Halloween.

While the surgeries were successful for Tristan it is hard to say what the long-term effects will be for his three-chambered heart. There is still a chance that he may need a heart transplant in the future.

According to Dawn Wight, Tristan tires easily and becomes too hot or too cold easily but other than that he is outgoing and shows compassion towards other children who may be ill.

“We are so excited to learn that Gov. Brad Henry will sign a proclamation to declare Valentine’s week Congenital Heart Disease Week in Oklahoma,” said Dawn Wight. There will be an event in honor of the CHD proclamation at the State Capitol.

“This will be a very memorable event,” said Wight.

A support group is available for those affected by CHD. The group is called the Little Hearts Group and there will be a Valentine’s party at the Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City for all of the heart children.

Dawn Wight would like to invite anyone whohas children affected by a heart problem to join the Little Hearts Support Group in Oklahoma City. Anyone wishing to do so may contact her at (580) 256-3484.

“It has been helpful in being able to identify with other parents who have faced the same fears,” said Wight.

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