Ground-breaking surgery sees three little kids saved with one donor heart

Health experts are celebrating after three children's lives were saved with one donor heart during back-to-back operations. A huge team made up of doctors, nurses and transplant specialists at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s worked through the night to complete the ground-breaking mission.

The triple operation, called a split-root domino transplant, has been hailed as a "game changer" for children who struggle with cardiac issues such as Hend Almesafri, 11, Teddy Carter, three, and two-year-old John Catoliato. Hend was left fighting for her life after being diagnosed with a rare form of heart disease. The condition left her heart muscles too weak to pump blood around her body.

Meanwhile, Teddy and John were both critically ill and desperately awaiting valve replacements. After seven anxious weeks in the hospital, Hend’s family finally got the call they’d been waiting for – a donor's heart had been found. Then, a miracle occurred.

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Hend did not only survive her own transplant, but found her original heart valves were so healthy they were able to save two more young lives, namely Teddy and John. The two little boys are now “heart brothers”.

Pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon Dr David Kalfa, who helped carry out the procedure, said: “This is a game-changer for these children. It really takes a village to accomplish a feat like this.

“It’s a multidisciplinary team working together with a passion and will to innovate. Seeing them now all together with their families is an incredible feeling and reminds us why we do this every day.”

Little John has been battling to live since birth. Diagnosed with truncus arteriosus – a serious condition where there’s only one exit from the heart instead of two – he also had a hole in his heart. His parents Joanne and Thomas Catoliato were forced to watch him endure multiple surgeries.

Thomas said: “Throughout a year and a half, John went into heart failure twice. He got so sick that he almost died. He had been through way too much and it was a long road. We knew John was in the hands of a surgeon who truly cared about each patient.”

Teddy’s journey has also been harrowing. Diagnosed with aortic stenosis at just two months old, his blocked heart valve caused blood to leak backwards. An initial didn’t work and the family faced the terrifying reality that his heart was failing.

Mum Katie said: “We knew it was going to be tough but the more we talked to them about a potential split-root domino, the more we thought it was our destiny and a solution for Teddy to have a more normal childhood. That’s all we wanted.”

A heart became available for Hend on July 24, 2024. Within hours, the hospital was preparing for three transplants in a single day. Hend received her new heart first in an operation led by Dr Kalfa.

Then, her old heart’s pulmonary valve was carefully into John. Finally, Teddy received his aortic valve. Miraculously, all three surgeries were a success. John and Teddy were discharged in just nine days and Hend was able to go home three weeks later.

John’s Joanne said: “He is so full of life and the littlest things make him happy. A big weight has been lifted off our chest and we see a brighter horizon.” The three children still receive regular check-ups as they continue to recover and their families remain closely connected.

Hend has even met the two boys whose lives were saved thanks to her old heart. She said: “I feel amazing to see them healthy. It feels good to see the boys playing together.” Teddy’s family marked his three-month milestone with a trip to Disney World.

His mum Katie said: “We had an incredible experience at NewYork-Presbyterian. You can’t even put into words how smart and kind these people are. Last time we were together, we were in a scary situation.

“We had sick children in hospital beds and today, they’re just happy, playing kids. That’s the best thing in the .”