Medical history was made on October 19 at Mediclinic Nelspruit when a cardiac haemangioma tumour as big as a golf ball was removed from the right heart chamber of Gabriella Jansen (15).

Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Hannes Naudé performed the emergency procedure after a series of events led Gabriella to his practice.

Tumour discovered after teenager faints

Gabriella told Lowvelder that she had fainted at home on October 16 and hurt her foot. “My mum took me to the emergency room and an X-ray showed that my ankle was broken. I was admitted after 22:00 that evening and booked for an operation to fix my ankle the following day.”

Her mother, Tessa, said they were at the hospital on October 17 to support Gabriella and the normal pre-op procedures were done.

“Dr Adriaan Buitenweg, the anaesthetist for the operation, was busy with his check-up when he told me that he heard a murmur in her heart, which he wanted to investigate further. She was referred to cardiologist Dr Fanie Fourie, who confirmed the presence of a mass.”

Naudé said Gabriella was referred to him to remove the tumour from her heart’s right main chamber.

“The mass was obstructing blood flow to her pulmonary artery opening to the lungs, and was the direct cause of her fainting.”

Life threatening condition

The specialist team started planning the procedure, which was going to be performed on October 19.

Naudé said that Gabriella’s condition was life threatening and if not discovered, could have led to her death.

The procedure took an hour. Gabriella had to be placed on a heart-lung pump to isolate her heart so the mass could be removed.

Naudé was assisted by fellow cardiothoracic surgeon Dr André Wessels, anaesthetist Dr Ivan Doncaster and perfusionist Salomé van Dyk, who operated the medical equipment that temporarily functioned for Gabriella’s heart and lungs during the operation.

The cardiac haemangioma found in the right ventricle, causing outflow obstruction, has only seven reported cases globally and, as far as we could establish, it was the first ever recorded in Africa

The removal of the tumour took only 10 minutes. Gabriella was admitted to the cardiothoracic intensive care unit where Dr Jo-Ann Vosloo oversaw her post-operative care. Naudé said he initially suspected that the mass was a rare form of benign tumour, which was later confirmed by histology tests.

“Cardiac tumours in general are rare and represent only 0.02% of all tumours (benign and malignant) globally. The majority of these are benign and the most common form is a myxoma tumour. The cardiac haemangioma found in the right ventricle, causing outflow obstruction, has only seven reported cases globally and, as far as we could establish, it was the first ever recorded in Africa.”

Gabriella’s case will be published and recorded in an esteemed international medical journal.

We were fully informed about the risks and kept up to date every step of the way. I told Gabriella that I carried her for nine months and that I would carry her again during her recovery.

Praise for doctors

Her parents, Eustace and Tessa, said their faith and the support of family and friends kept them going. It was shocking news to absorb, but Tessa said the doctors involved were amazing.

“We were fully informed about the risks and kept up to date every step of the way. I told Gabriella that I carried her for nine months and that I would carry her again during her recovery.”

Gabriella told Lowvelder she was never afraid. “My parents were there and I knew I was in good hands.”

While she never knew about her condition, the teenager said she was constantly tired and never participated in any sports. She thought that it was because of her asthma.

Her recovery has been remarkable and she was discharged on November 1. Her ankle still needs to be mended, which will only happen once she has fully recovered. She has not returned to her beloved Nelspruit Curro school and will only go back in January to continue with Grade 10.

Naudé said Gabriella will be able to live a normal life.