A woman, who 37 years ago was among the few people in the UK to undergo open heart surgery whilst pregnant with twins, has returned to Royal Papworth Hospital for another operation by the same consultant.
When she was 31, Annie from Badingham in Suffolk, was under the care of Mr Wells at Royal Papworth Hospital in 1986 when she had her mitral valve repaired during her second trimester, in what was a procedure with significant risk to the pregnancy.
However, the risk to both mother and babies was also very high if the operation did not take place.
The mitral valve is a small flap in the heart that stops blood flowing the wrong way. Problems with it can affect how blood flows around the body.
In Annie's case, she had rheumatic valve disease which progresses slowly over many years to cause thickening of the valve and restriction of its movements.
The operation was a success and the twins were born later that year in a normal birth at Ipswich Hospital.
Annie, now 68, recently returned to Royal Papworth Hospital, this time to have her mitral valve fully replaced, in an operation once again performed by Mr Wells.
Annie said, “Back in 1986 I’d just found out I was expecting twins. After routine tests revealed the severity of my heart valve problem, I was referred to Papworth. It came as a shock.
“I was in hospital for four weeks before the operation, whilst decisions were made about what to do and when to do it, with the babies’ health in mind. It was a very stressful time, particularly for my husband Martin and my oldest son Tom who was just three years old at the time. However the care I had was incredible and Mr Wells was so lovely and positive all the time.”
After successful surgery to repair her mitral valve in the March, Annie returned home and the twins Lizzie and Joe were born in the July. They have gone on to lead healthy lives and both now have two children of their own.
Annie and Martin with twins Lizzie and Joe, born months after Annie's successful open heart surgery in 1986
Annie returned to Royal Papworth in 2006 as the valve had begun to narrow again and a mitral valve balloon dilation (also known as a balloon valvulotomy) was performed to widen the valve.
In 2022 during a routine check-up, an echocardiogram suggested that the valve which had been repaired more than three decades ago would now have to be replaced.
“I couldn’t believe Mr Wells was still here and it was lovely to know it was going to be him again. I was so pleased. The staff have been really good and the level of care is just superb," Annie continued.
Annie and Martin, with Royal Papworth Hospital staff during her most recent visit
Mr Frank Wells is consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at Royal Papworth Hospital and added:
“I remember so well my first meeting with Annie and the difficult decision of what to do for her for the best for her unborn twins and herself. Surgery in this setting was rarely performed back then and fraught with potential problems. However, allowing the pregnancy to continue with the worsening heart failure that Annie was experiencing was not an option.
“Annie was very brave and made the decision with me with great courage to proceed. The result was excellent, and the longevity of the original valve pays homage to that.
“This of course would not be possible without the enormous skill of our perfusion department in running the heart-lung machine to maintain satisfactory perfusion of mother and babies. We are so fortunate to have such wonderful people working with us to bring this about. Cardiac surgery is a real team effort and that is something that Royal Papworth has always excelled at.
“It was an absolute delight to see Annie again after all these years and to help her again. This time it was necessary to replace the valve and this should last for many, many years keeping Annie in good health for her to be able to enjoy her grandchildren actively.”
Annie's twins both now have two children each themselves. Her successful recent surgery at Royal Papworth will allow her to enjoy her grandchildren actively
Eldest sibling Tom was just three when his brother and sister were born