Born with Pulmonary Atresia, Patient Thrives with Help from Minimally Invasive Surgeries

Kennedy’s parents learned she had a congenital heart condition before she was born. Her heart defect, pulmonary atresia, typically requires open-heart surgery immediately after birth. Thanks to research led by pediatric cardiologist, Christopher Petit, MD, at Sibley Heart Center, Kennedy’s family had another option.
Kennedy underwent a series of minimally invasive heart catheterization surgeries that gave her time to grow and develop before undergoing the complex open-heart surgery. Today she is a feisty, full-of-life toddler.