Lincoln "Link" is down to 585 grams. That's about 1 pound, 4.5 ounces. In addition to losing weight again today, I was there for rounds. The doctor hit us with a heart condition today. Link's blood pressure is about 38/16. Apparently, his bottom number should be 22 or higher, and definitely over 20. What that number tells them is that his heart is not pumping as it should. This told doctors that Link probably has PDA, and they did an echo which confirmed it.
PDA is:
"Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a heart problem that occurs soon after birth in some babies. In PDA, abnormal blood flow occurs between two of the major arteries connected to the heart.
Before birth, the two major arteries—the aorta and the pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) artery—are connected by a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus. This vessel is an essential part of fetal blood circulation.
Within minutes or up to a few days after birth, the vessel is supposed to close as part of the normal changes occurring in the baby's circulation.
In some babies, however, the ductus arteriosus remains open (patent). This opening allows oxygen-rich blood from the aorta to mix with oxygen-poor blood from the pulmonary artery. This can put strain on the heart and increase blood pressure in the lung arteries."
Essentially, Link's heart cannot efficiently pump blood through his body. He was receiving his third blood transfusion when I arrived, and once that ended, the doctors will begin a treatment of medicine for the purpose of closing those arteries.
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