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Pendulum heart cured by spine op | Pendulum heart cured by spine op |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A teenage girl whose heart was pushed to the wrong side of her body by a rare spine deformity has been cured by surgery. | |
Koryn McFadden, an 18-year-old nursery nurse from Corby, Northants, had scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. | Koryn McFadden, an 18-year-old nursery nurse from Corby, Northants, had scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. |
The defect produced a pendulum effect where her heart was pushed three inches to the right. | The defect produced a pendulum effect where her heart was pushed three inches to the right. |
Surgeons at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham say her heart should now stay in place following her operation. | Surgeons at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham say her heart should now stay in place following her operation. |
Doctors discovered the problem in 2006 after Koryn had been in a car crash and damaged the vertebrae of her spine. | Doctors discovered the problem in 2006 after Koryn had been in a car crash and damaged the vertebrae of her spine. |
An x-ray showed up the curvature, which doctors said had been getting progressively worse for years. | An x-ray showed up the curvature, which doctors said had been getting progressively worse for years. |
Koryn said: "I feel like the car accident was fate - it was the only reason I found out about the scoliosis. | Koryn said: "I feel like the car accident was fate - it was the only reason I found out about the scoliosis. |
"I've always been fit and healthy so I was shocked when I saw the X-ray of my spine. At first I told the nurse she must have the X-rays mixed up." | "I've always been fit and healthy so I was shocked when I saw the X-ray of my spine. At first I told the nurse she must have the X-rays mixed up." |
Koryn's x-rays before (right) and after (left) the surgery | Koryn's x-rays before (right) and after (left) the surgery |
Although initially the scoliosis caused her no symptoms, with time it gave her daily pain and doctors were worried the curve was putting too much strain on her heart. | Although initially the scoliosis caused her no symptoms, with time it gave her daily pain and doctors were worried the curve was putting too much strain on her heart. |
Koryn said: "I couldn't get out of bed and kept having to call in sick to work." | Koryn said: "I couldn't get out of bed and kept having to call in sick to work." |
Last month Koryn had an eight-hour operation where surgeons inserted two 16 inch-long titanium rods and 10 metal pins into her spine. | |
Now Koryn stands straight and two inches taller and her heart is back in the right place. | |
Koryn said: "I feel about 10ft tall and my friends all love my new posture. | Koryn said: "I feel about 10ft tall and my friends all love my new posture. |
"I was absolutely petrified about having to go in for such a major operation, but it has been so worth it." | "I was absolutely petrified about having to go in for such a major operation, but it has been so worth it." |
A spokeswoman for the Scoliosis Association said: "If scoliosis goes untreated, it will cause massive effects on heart function and reduce breathing capacity because the lungs are getting smaller." | A spokeswoman for the Scoliosis Association said: "If scoliosis goes untreated, it will cause massive effects on heart function and reduce breathing capacity because the lungs are getting smaller." |
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