Six-Month-Old Norwood Infant Survives Three Heart Stoppages Following Rare Hyperbaric Chamber Surgery-September 23, 1964

Little Janet Bombaci, the six-month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent A. Bombaci of 31 Yarmouth Road, Norwood, is recovering at home after defying incredible odds. Surgeons at Children’s Hospital in Boston successfully revived her after her tiny heart stopped three separate times.

A Rare and Perilous Medical Journey

Janet was admitted to Children’s Hospital on July 27 after developing signs of congestive heart failure. While initial plans called for medical therapy to strengthen the infant’s heart before attempting corrective surgery, her heart stopped for the first time during a routine diagnostic procedure when a catheter was inserted to determine the severity of her aortic obstruction. Doctors revived her using external cardiac massage, noting that a recorder attached to the catheter confirmed external compressions were successfully producing an effective heartbeat.

Her heart stopped for a second time on July 31 just prior to surgery, and medical staff once again restored her heartbeat through external massage. Immediately following this second revival, the surgical team performed a rare and delicate operation in a hyperbaric chamber under pressure—a technique that provides the patient’s blood and tissue with life-giving oxygen while major arteries are shut off and blood flow through the heart is entirely interrupted. In a crucial two-and-one-half-minute window, surgeons successfully executed a valvulotomy, opening up and repairing the defective aortic valve.

Third Arrest and Recovery

Though the operation was successful, the infant faced one final hurdle in the recovery room when her heart stopped for the third time during a tracheotomy performed to relieve severe respiratory distress. Revived once more, Janet was placed on a respirator for three days until her heart and lungs grew strong enough to sustain her.

Having successfully weathered the ordeal, Janet was declared out of danger and discharged on August 21, when Mr. and Mrs. Bombaci joyfully brought her back home to Yarmouth Road.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger