Victoria Jones

[Meet Our Children's Heart Program Patients]

Victoria Jones spent a good part of her early days as a patient at the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital for treatment of a metabolic disorder that required a special diet and feeding every four hours. She also had breathing difficulties because her lungs were not completely developed.

By the age of 8, she was back in the hospital, diagnosed with a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy her heart had enlarged and was not pumping blood efficiently.

Victoria’s pediatric cardiologist, Carissa Baker-Smith, MD, MS, MPH, says when medicines failed to work, Victoria was put on a heart pump to push blood throughout her body, becoming the youngest child at UMCH to receive a left ventricular assist device. Ultimately, Victoria underwent successful heart transplantation. After six weeks on the heart transplant list, Sunjay Kaushal, MD, PhD, director of pediatric cardiac surgery, performed a heart transplant.

Victoria turned 11 in September 2018. Dr. Baker-Smith says Victoria is doing great with her new heart.

CARISSA BAKER-SMITH, MD, MS, MPH, is an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and pediatric cardiologist in the Children’s Heart Program at the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital.

SUNJAY KAUSHAL, MD, PhD, is a professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, director of pediatric and adult congenital surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center and co-director of the Children’s Heart Program at the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital.

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