14-year-old Georgia boy has first-ever surgery to implant diaphragm pacemaker

ATLANTA — Local doctors are making history. They implanted a diaphragm pacemaker into a 14-year-old boy. This is the first time this surgery has been done in Georgia. Now with the new mechanism implanted, even though his body will forget to breathe when he falls asleep, the pacemaker now takes over.

Channel 2's Wendy Corona visited Sadarias Eady and his family at Children's Hospital of Atlanta.

“We’ve been wanting this day for so long,” Suprena Eady, Sadarias' mother, said through tears.

Ever since her son Sadarias was born, there were problems. At 8 days old he was diagnosed with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome. When he sleeps, his body forgets to breathe. Only around 1,000 children in the U.S. have the condition.

“It’s a blessing that he’s still here. That they figured out what was going on with him,” said Eady.

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Until now, a tracheotomy and ventilator have kept the teen breathing while he sleeps. Cardiac rhythm can also be affected so along with surgery to have the first ever diaphragm pacemaker implanted, Sadarias also had a cardiac pacemaker put in.

All early signs points to success. Pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Ajay Kasi helped assemble the team.

“We place some electrodes on his nerve to the diaphragm which stimulates and helps him breathe.”

“It’s been a lot of tests of faith during this journey,” said Eady, the biggest of which was to put her faith in skilled doctors who had never done this type of surgery before.

“And we explained that to his mom,” said pediatric surgeon, Dr. Matthew Clifton. “We’re asking you to trust us and I know there was a big leap of faith on her part and we really appreciate her trusting us to do that.”

Now with the first one in the books and the flip of a switch, now numerous more may also benefit.

“It’s life-changing,” said Eady. “It’s going to give him a better quality of life.”

Cox Media Group