Born with transposition of the great arteries (TGA), now 17-year-old Ryan Smith was rushed to CHOC Hospital, where he underwent an emergency procedure to regulate the flow of oxygen through his body until open-heart surgery could be performed a week later, and he spent two months at CHOC. TGA is a condition in which the large vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs, and to the body, are improperly connected.
Ryan’s condition was severe, and his parents were advised that surgery would be complicated and long — roughly seven hours. During the operation, Dr. Richard Gates, cardiothoracic surgeon and co-medical director of CHOC Heart Institute, disconnected Ryan’s aorta and pulmonary artery before switching them back to their normal positions. The aorta was stitched to the left ventricle, and the pulmonary artery to the right ventricle. The coronary arteries were freed and connected back to the aorta. Ryan’s chest was left open for a few days while he healed.
Throughout his recovery, Ryan’s family remained by his side. They watched as he continued to fight, including learning how to breathe on his own and eat with the help of numerous CHOC specialists. The Smiths were overjoyed when they were finally able to take their newborn home.
Ryan remained under the care of the CHOC Heart Institute. He and his parents consider his CHOC team part of their extended family.
His mom Cathy says, “The care Ryan has received by the team at CHOC has been extraordinary. They have taken every step to make sure he’s been given the best care clinically, as well as making him feel a part of a great organizational family.”
Children born with TGA require periodic visits with their cardiologists, who check for heart-related problems, including fast, slow or irregular heart rhythms, leaky heart valves, narrowing of one or both of the great arteries at the switch connection site(s) and narrowing of the coronary arteries at their switch connection site.
Shortly after his first birthday, Ryan had his second open-heart surgery; this time to extend and strengthen his pulmonary artery. Additionally, he has undergone a few interventional procedures in CHOC’s cardiac catheterization lab. Most recently, he became part of a small number of patients – second at CHOC – to receive the world’s smallest pacemaker, the Micra® Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS), to help treat his irregular heart rhythm.
About the size of a vitamin, the Micra TPS provides the most advanced pacing technology at one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker. And, unlike traditional pacemakers, it does not require cardiac leads or a surgical “pocket” under the skin to deliver the pacing therapy. The device is small enough to be delivered through a catheter and implanted directly into the heart. This offers patients a safe alternative to conventional pacemakers without the complications associated with leads – all while being cosmetically invisible.
For Ryan, a high school athlete, and his parents, the Micra TPS gave them all peace of mind and comfort in knowing Ryan is receiving the necessary therapy while still pursuing his passion: running. He competes on his school’s cross country and track teams. When he’s not running, he enjoys watching races.
In addition to sports, Ryan excels academically and enjoys an active social life. His classmates consider him a leader and positive role model.
“The thing that makes me most proud of my son is that he lives his life like any other teenager. Nothing is holding him back. He is a testament that no matter what hurdles life may put in front of you, anyone can achieve anything they put their mind and heart into,” shares Ryan’s dad Jim.
Ryan encourages other CHOC patients to pursue their dreams. “You should live your life how you want, as long as you stay within the parameters of your condition,” he explains. “And trust the people at CHOC because they know what they’re doing.”
After high school, Ryan plans on attending college, and, of course, continuing to run.
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Learn more about CHOC’s Heart Institute
CHOC Hospital was named one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings and ranked in the cardiology and heart surgery specialties.
