A 16-year-old from Tulsa is making history after undergoing a groundbreaking heart surgery at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital. Kayne Hesskamp is the first person in the world to have his heart valve reconstructed using his own tissue, a procedure that could transform future heart treatments.
Born with a heart murmur, Kayne always knew he would eventually need surgery, though he never expected to make medical history. His successful procedure is already inspiring similar surgeries for other heart patients.
Like most teens, Kayne enjoys soccer, hanging out with friends, and playing video games. Thanks to the pioneering open-heart surgery he had last June, he can now live a normal life.
Dr. Harold Burkhart, who led the surgery, explained that Kayne had a narrow, leaky valve. Instead of using a traditional mechanical valve, the medical team chose to reconstruct the valve using Kayne’s own tissue. They used part of his aorta, the large artery connected to the valve, to rebuild the valve’s leaflets and replaced his aorta with a patch.
“This approach reduces the chance of needing future valve replacements and eliminates the need for blood thinners,” Dr. Burkhart said.
Kayne’s recovery was remarkably quick, and he was discharged just five days after surgery. “It’s nice knowing that I had those people to help me through it,” Kayne said, reflecting on his experience.
Kayne’s mother, Jacy, praised the thorough preparation that helped her son succeed. “We dove deep into therapy to talk about everything, processing our emotions and how we were feeling,” she said.
Following Kayne’s success, Oklahoma Children’s Hospital has performed similar surgeries on other patients. Dr. Burkhart shared that Kayne’s case was presented at a national medical meeting and published in a prominent journal, offering hope for patients around the world.
Kayne is now back to playing soccer and only needs annual check-ups. Grateful for his experience, he looks forward to visiting his medical team to express his thanks. “It makes me feel good knowing other people will be able to do the same thing,” he said.
Before performing this historic surgery, Dr. Burkhart demonstrated the technique using a pig heart valve to ensure its effectiveness.
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