Multiple Heart Complication

My friend's 7 year old chid has these: 1. dextrocardia situs inversus 2. pulmonary stenosis 3. tricuspid atresia multiple heart complications. She has gone through 1. Atrial ballooning septostomy and 2. Glenn Shunt. In June she is going to go through Fontan.

Doc said there is no way to solve her problem but only to prolong her life span. On behalf of her parents, I am posting this question in hope to find a way to solve her heart problem. We are hoping it is just that our country does not have the advance equipment, technology and skills to help her.

Please please kindly reply if you have heard of anyone, anywhere, anyhow to help her.

Thanks

[Elizabeth B. Rand, MD]

thank you for your question.  Complex congenital heart disease can be difficult to manage, and as the doctor has said, it is generally not "cured."  Though heart defects fall into general categories, each one is unique and the surgeries must be tailored to the particular child.  A Fontan procedure is a well described operation for this sort of defect and may provide many years of improved heart function.  Heart transplant may ultimately be recommended depending on how the child does over time.  without more specific information I can't give more answers.  You don't say where the child lives; so I can't give a suggestion of heart centers nearby.  In the United states there are several large centers (including ours ,the children's hospital of philadelphia, www.chop.edu) that specialize in congenital heart disease in general and the Fontan procedure in particular.  
Your friends might want to make virtual visits to hospitals on-line if they are considering additional evaluations.