08/11/2025
đź‘‹ Meet Luke.
Shortly after their 20-week anatomy ultrasound, Mallory and Jay learned that something was wrong with the development of their unborn son, Luke’s, heart. An echocardiogram, or ECHO, confirmed the presence of an abnormality and they were referred to The Fetal Center at Nationwide Children’s. At 22-weeks’ gestation, they learned that their son had Ebstein’s anomaly, a rare and severe heart defect where one of the heart’s valves does not form correctly. Luke’s case of Ebstein’s anomaly was so severe that the doctors weren’t sure how much longer he had, even in the womb. Mallory and Jay were devastated but they held onto the hope that their baby would be okay.
For the rest of her pregnancy, Mallory had weekly ultrasounds to monitor for any signs of heart failure. She began seeing Karen Texter, MD, director of Fetal Echocardiography at The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s. Concerned about potential risks to Luke if she carried to term, Mallory’s medical team decided she should deliver at 37 weeks.
Immediately after birth, Luke was transported to Nationwide Children’s where, at just 4 days old, he underwent his first surgery, a Starnes procedure. Performed by Mark Galantowicz, MD, chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and co-director of The Heart Center, this procedure closed off the malfunctioning ventricle in Luke’s heart to improve its function. Though scared, Mallory and Jay found comfort in Dr. Galantowicz’s optimism and openness to their questions.
Two and a half weeks after his Starnes procedure, Luke was able to go home. Within days, however, complications from hypothermia and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) brought him back to Nationwide Children’s for another two-week stay. After recovering, Luke began participating in the Home Monitoring Program, which allows parents to track weight and oxygen levels at home to help prevent complications. Each night, Mallory and Jay uploaded Luke’s vitals to an app monitored by Nationwide Children’s healthcare professionals. Additionally, Luke visited the cardiology clinic biweekly for regular check-ups.
Luke’s second surgery took place when he was 6 months old. During this procedure, known as a Glenn, doctors redirected blood from the upper body to Luke’s lungs, reducing the workload of his heart and helping to get more oxygen in his blood. The surgery was a success!
Now, at nearly 2 years old, Luke is walking and talking! He is seen by his team at Nationwide Children’s every three to four months and receives physical therapy at home. When he gets a little older, Luke will have his third heart surgery. In the meantime, Mallory and Jay are enjoying watching Luke grow and thrive.
“Nationwide Children’s has been great,” shares Mallory. “Every doctor on Luke’s team was so supportive. I tell everyone that Dr. Texter is like family to us.”
Learn more about The Fetal Center at Nationwide Children's: https://bit.ly/3UnvFOf.