Kingston flexing at Children's Memorial Hermann HospitalA passion for innovative solutions, a desire to provide hope to children who previously had none, outside-the-box thinking, and quality outcomes – these are the hallmarks of the Children’s Heart Institute, a collaboration between Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. Nine-year-old Kingston Murriel of Brandon, Miss., is one of many children to benefit from the skill of this affiliated Houston team.

Born with a hypoplastic left ventricle too small to function normally, Kingston was treated in Jackson by Avichal Aggarwal, MD who worked closely with the affiliated cardiovascular surgery team. At the time, Dr. Aggarwal was located at an institution in Mississippi before being recruited to McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston in 2020. Dr. Aggarwal now serves as an associate professor of pediatric cardiology at McGovern Medical School and a pediatric cardiologist affiliated with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. 

For many children, the safest accepted option for a single-ventricle heart is to undergo staged surgeries culminating in a Fontan procedure. In the end, these procedures do not create a normal heart and often the journey leads to a future of heart failure and the very real possibility of a heart transplant. “The affiliated team is realistic about each child’s heart defect. However, they don’t necessarily accept a child’s heart for what it is but instead, look for the potential of what the heart can be. The team didn’t want to pre-determine Kingston’s pathway and limit his options to just the Fontan procedure. Instead, they stretched to find the best possible pathway for his unique heart.”

Kingston underwent his first surgery in Mississippi 3 days after his birth on Aug. 6, 2012, followed by two additional staged surgeries over the next several years. As part of his third surgery, an innovative left ventricular recruiting procedure to direct blood into his small left ventricle. “The goal has been to give as many kids as possible the most normal heart achievable,” the team explains. “Although not all children are candidates for a biventricular repair, many are. In Kingston’s case, the blood flow directed into his left ventricle stimulated his left heart to grow so much over time that we were able to create a normal heart.”

Since Dr. Aggarwal was practicing at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and had treated Kingston from birth in Mississippi, he and the affiliated cardiovascular surgery team discussed their belief that Kingston’s heart had grown enough to undergo a final surgery, a biventricular conversion, or conversion to a two-ventricle heart.  As co-leads of the Pediatric Biventricular Repair Program in the Children’s Heart Institute, they agreed Kingston was ready.

Kingston with his momKingston’s parents brought him to Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in November 2021 for a better opportunity at a stronger, healthier future, knowing that the affiliated team at the Children’s Heart Institute would treat Kingston just like their own.

Even though his left ventricle was small at birth, Kingston's doctors saw its potential and made a decision 9 years ago with the faith that it would lead to a normal heart. Despite being born with a hypoplastic left ventricle, Kingston now has a normal heart with no limitations. "Normal" is a significant term, and it's not used lightly. That’s why there is so much excitement about this procedure and the ability to offer solutions to children and their parents.

Kingston’s mother Liz Foster says she expected to be in Houston for 2 or 3 weeks, but her son was off the ventilator the day after surgery. “We were in the hospital only 8 days,” she says. “We decided to stay in Houston a few more days just to be close, and during that time, we were followed by Dr. Aggarwal in clinic.”

“Kingston is doing so well that it’s been an adjustment for his dad and me,” Foster says. “Before the surgery, we would occasionally sign him up for baseball, but he would tire out. With only one ventricle working, he had a high metabolism and was very skinny. Since the surgery, he’s gained 13 pounds. His activity level and weight gain have turned him into a completely different little monster! My goal now is to increase awareness of his condition and biventricular conversion. The procedure is life-changing, and so many children could benefit. We continue to stay in touch with Dr. Aggarwal and recently saw him in clinic in Houston. Kingston's doctors were happy with his progress."

The Pediatric Biventricular Repair Program at the Children’s Heart Institute is one of only a few centers in the world with the capability and commitment to provide biventricular repair, biventricular conversion and ventricular recruitment for complex cases involving a single-ventricle defect.

Learn more about services provided at the Children’s Heart Institute and heart heroes like Kingston »

Contact Us

To contact Children’s Heart Institute at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, please fill out the form below.

Thank
You!

Thank you for contacting the Children’s Heart Institute at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. We have received your inquiry, and a team member will contact you soon.

If you need more immediate assistance, please call us during business hours at (713) 486-6755.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.