Ebstein’s Anomaly Patient Stories

Meet our Ebstein's anomaly patients and their families and read their inspiring stories with the Da Silva Center for Ebstein’s Anomaly at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Ebstein’s Anomaly - Da Silva Center

Jessica smiling with her stuffed animal bunny

Tamsin was nearing the end of pregnancy with her twin daughters, Jessica and Charlotte, when she learned that Jessica was diagnosed with Ebstein’s anomaly ― a rare and complex congenital heart defect.

Read Jessica's story

Ebstein’s Anomaly - Da Silva Center

Matthew smiling and holding a teddy bear in front of a toy car track

Matthew hadn’t even been born when an ultrasound revealed he had Ebstein’s anomaly — a rare birth defect affecting the tricuspid valve in his heart.

Read Matthew's story

Ebstein’s Anomaly - Da Silva Center

A young boy named Atticus wearing a play NASA space suit

Atticus was still in his mother’s womb in the state of Oregon when he was diagnosed with Ebstein’s anomaly.

Read Atticus's story

Ebstein's Anomaly – Da Silva Center

Tiago Maljacek Silva flexing his arms in front of the hospital

Tiago was diagnosed with Ebstein’s anomaly before birth. Read about his journey from Slovakia to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Read Tiago's story

Ebstein's Anomaly – Da Silva Center

When Filip was 10 months old, he and his parents traveled from Krakow to Pittsburgh to have the Da Silva Center perform his cone procedure.

Read Filip's story

Ebstein's Anomaly – Da Silva Center

In 1993, Jose Pedro da Silva created the Cone technique to repair Ebstein's anomaly, a rare congenital heart defect. Thais Diniz Alves was the first patient to receive this innovative surgical technique from Dr. da Silva. Watch her story here.

Read Thais's story

Ebstein's Anomaly – Da Silva Center

Matthias as a baby wearing a mustard color beanie

After attending an ultrasound appointment for their new baby, Tressa and Chase received news that their son, Matthias, had Ebstein's anomaly. The parents-to-be travelled to Pittsburgh to be with the Da Silva Center team for his birth.

Read Matthias's story

Ebstein's Anomaly – Da Silva Center

Steph and Mondo's son, Aries, was diagnosed with Ebstein's anomaly before birth. The family travelled to Pittsburgh for care from the experts at the Da Silva Center.

Read Aries's story

Ebstein’s Anomaly – Cardiothoracic Surgery

Amanda and Katharine Babst | UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Katharine was born with Ebstein’s anomaly. After her family moved to Pittsburgh, the first phone call her mother, Amanda, made was to the Heart Institute at UPMC Children’s.

Read Katharine's story

Ebstein's Anomaly – Da Silva Center

Edward, 53, was born with Ebstein’s anomaly, a congenital heart malformation that involves the tricuspid valve and the right ventricle. He went to the Da Silva Center team for help.

Read Edward's story

Ebstein's Anomaly – Da Silva Center

David was diagnosed with Ebstein’s anomaly before he was born. His family left Puerto Rico for the first time to bring him to the Da Silva Center for the cone procedure.

Read David's story

Ebstein's Anomaly – Da Silva Center

Dr. Da Silva performed Avery’s cone procedure when she was 4 years old. Just 10 days after the procedure, Avery got to go home.

Read Avery's story

Ebstein's Anomaly – Da Silva Center

Two weeks before she was born, Casyn’s family moved across the country to Pittsburgh to be with the Da Silva Center team for her birth.

Read Casyn's story

Ebstein's Anomaly – Da Silva Center

Jocelyn and her mom were both born with Ebstein’s anomaly. Jocelyn’s cone procedure was done at the Da Silva Center. Three months later, her mom followed in her footsteps.

Read Jocelyn's story