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Heart op tot saved by Viagra
A YORKSHIRE toddler who was given just weeks to live is celebrating his first birthday after being thrown a lifeline from a critical heart condition with anti-impotence drug Viagra.
Little Alfie Oliver was born last July with a narrowing of blood vessels around his lungs.
Just days old he endured a series of heart operations and his parents Tracey and Rob were later told he had just weeks to live after he suffered a heart attack.
But a team of experts from Great Ormond Street Hospital heard of his plight and contacted his medical team to suggest the controversial drug could open up his blood vessels and improve circulation.
Now brave Alfie's family are preparing for the birthday they thought he would never see as he continues taking his Viagra, in liquid form.
Mum Tracey, 26, of York, said: "When they sat us down and said he needed Viagra we thought 'oh my goodness'. It's such a strange thing for a baby to be on but it's literally saved his life."
Shortly after he was born Alfie was diagnosed with transposition of the great arteries which meant the position of his aorta and pulmonary artery were reversed. He underwent an emergency operation to repair his heart when he was just 16 days old, but despite initially showing promising signs of recovery he was soon back in hospital.
The family were then dealt another shattering blow with the news Alfie was suffering from the rare ailment pulmonary hypertension. As well as narrowing the blood vessels around his lungs it increases blood pressure, and often goes undiagnosed because the symptoms are similar to asthma.
"He had a procedure the night he was born just to stabilise him because he was critically ill," Mrs Oliver said. "He came home for six weeks after the first operation and was doing incredibly well. But when we took him for a routine appointment with a cardiologist they found the pressure in his lungs was too high.
"We went back to Leeds General Infirmary and they carried out a procedure called a cardiac catheterisation but there were complications and he went into cardiac arrest."
Alfie spent the next two weeks in intensive care and his future looked so bleak his parents were put in touch with a hospice. Last October they were told he had between two weeks and two months to live but after experts from Great Ormond Street heard of his ordeal they visited their Leeds colleagues and suggested Viagra could save him.
Tracey added: "His first year has been very traumatic. But we just treat him as our little fighter and we are incredibly happy that he has got to his first birthday.
"We're planning a big party and we're inviting all his family and friends and the health workers who been there each step of the way.
"We're so grateful and just want to give Alfie and those who helped us have a really special day."
Alfie's treatment is still touch and go, and it is possible he may later need a heart and lung transplant.
In the meantime, his parents are taking each day as it comes and are trying to raise money for medical research into his unique condition.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -8 C to 2 C
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Wind direction: South east
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