Quotes from medical records

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Report on 7/5/01:
Emily had a complex form of single ventricle consisting of crisscross AV connection with double outlet right ventricle and evidence of mild subvalve pulmonary stenosis.
Two atrial septal defects with decompression left to right of relatively low velocity. The mitral valve which enters into a posterior rightward small left ventricle is also hypoplastic, measures 5mm. There is a large VSD between the hypoplastic left ventricle and the main chamber right ventricle. Persistent anomalous origin of the left subclavian artery from the main pulmonary artery with bidirectional flow. Persistent mild to moderate hypoplasia of both right and left pulmonary arteries measured 2 to 2.5mm in diameter. Has a right aortic arch with abnormal branching pattern.

Postoperative Diagnosis:
Crisscross heart with double artery right ventricle, severe mitral stenosis with hypoplastic left ventricle, ventricular septal defect and restrictive intraatrial septum.

Surgeon views:
External cardiac anatomy was bizarre. Both great arteries appear to arise posteriorly from a ventricle. The right atrium and left atrium were both positioned on the right side of the chest with the right atrium superior and anterior and the left atrium inferior and posterior. There wasa very proximal takeoff of the innominate artery from the aorta and the left subclavian artery arose from the pulmonary artery bifurcation. Looking down at the heart from anteriorly, this appeared to look like the aorta and main pulmonary artery were arising side by side posteriorly and the innominate artery and left subclavian artery arising one from each of the great arteries from the anterior aspect and running parallel anteriorly.

The explanation of what went wrong:
After much deduction and comfirmation, it was determined that, in fact,there had been no injury to any of the vascular structures during the placement of the peritoneal dialysis cathetar. Rather, the central line, which had been placed throught the groin, had perforated the inferior vena cava and transfusions administered by anesthesia were being administered directly into the peritoneal cavity, given the appearance of massive hemorrage.

Death certificate states:
Cause of death is cardiac arrest due to multi organ failure due to cardiac surgery due to complex single ventricle congenital heart disease.