A TODDLER born with half a heart has been kept alive using Viagra. Doctors gave little Hope Stainton the erectile dysfunction drug for three months to keep her blood vessels open following lifesaving surgery. 4 Hope Stainton, pictured with mum Kim, was born with half a heart has been kept alive using Viagra Credit: Dave Nelson 4 She was born with a condition which meant only the left side of her heart had developed Credit: Dave Nelson 4 Kim said: 'People are amazed when I tell them Hope has been on Viagra for three months' Credit: Dave Nelson 4 Kim added: 'She’s made an amazing recovery from her surgery' Credit: Dave Nelson She was born with a condition which meant only the left side of her heart had developed.
Surgeons had to do some major “replumbing”, starting when she was just five weeks old. The Viagra was used to help her blood flow as her body got used to the changes. The drug is normally taken in the form of “little blue pills” by men experiencing erection problems.
Hope’s mum Kim, 33, a nail technician, said: “People are amazed when I tell them Hope has been on Viagra for three months. “I was shocked when the doctors told us — I never imagined something like that would be used for her treatment. “But it’s worked brilliantly.
She’s made an amazing recovery from her surgery, and to look at her now you wouldn’t know she has just half a working heart.” Kim and her trainee photographer husband Liam, 36, of Preston, were devastated when doctor.