Unique 3-discipline surgeries save the life of Kanab woman with abnormal disorder

MURRAY — Vera Davis was born with an abnormal condition that can prove difficult for blood vessels. But in her 28 years, she never really had any problems with her heart.

That all changed about a month ago, when gut-wrenching pain shot through her chest.

With an enlarging aortic aneurysm threatening to rupture and end the flow of blood to her brain, Davis ended up in an emergency room in her hometown of Kanab, was then flown to see a specialist in St. George and later landed under the care of three doctors at the Intermountain Medical Center.

They now consider her a "modern medical miracle," said Dr. John Doty, a cardiac surgeon who helped to perform three separate surgeries on Davis.

"This was innovative technology that we brought to a confluence, to treat a very unusual problem," he said.

Doty — along with vascular surgeon Dr. Douglas Wirthlin and interventional radiologist Dr. Duane Blatter, who all work at Intermountain's Center for Aortic Disease — had little time to develop a plan to save Davis' life. It would be tricky because Davis was born with Turner syndrome, a rare chromosomal disorder that can cause cardiovascular malfunctions, including aortic aneurysms and valve problems.

Davis' aortic aneurysm was nearly the size of her heart and was growing. Due to her unusual anatomy and the location of the aneurysm, a traditional approach would have cut off blood flow to her brain or arms.

The doctors had no idea how long it had been there, but without immediate attention, the bulging blood vessel could have burst and killed her.

"Vera had five major interventions and every single one carried a risk," Wirthlin said. "But doing nothing was an even bigger risk."

It was the first time that three doctors from three different disciplines within Intermountain Healthcare's system were brought together in surgery to save a life. They believe it may also be the first time in the country, perhaps even the world, that such a unique attempt was made.

In fact, Davis' parents had said goodbye to their daughter prior to the procedure — just in case.

"We knew all the risks and knew that she may not come back," Cecilia Tait, Davis' mother, said.

On April 25, Doty and Wirthlin worked simultaneously on either side of Davis' body, to perform two bypasses from the arteries in her neck to the arteries in her arms, which were being fed by blood from the aneurysm.