Full Breakdown
Baby Macs Green Thrives After Life-Saving Heart Operations
8/23/2026, 6:20:30 AM
Life-Saving Procedures at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital
Macs Green, a baby described by his parents as “completely healthy” before falling ill, suffered two cardiac arrests and was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that can progress to heart failure. After an extended stay in the specialist unit at Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital, where he was supported by an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine, he was transferred to Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital. There, surgeons implanted a Berlin Heart—a portable, external device that assumes the heart’s pumping function. Doctors say the device stabilised his condition, but a heart transplant remains necessary, and the waiting period for a suitable donor is uncertain.
Medical Context and Treatment Path
Dilated cardiomyopathy in infants often leads to severe cardiac dysfunction, prompting the use of ECMO to maintain circulation while awaiting definitive therapy. The Berlin Heart, approved for pediatric patients, provides long-term mechanical circulatory support, buying time for patients to await transplantation. In Macs’s case, the transition from ECMO to the Berlin Heart marked a significant clinical improvement, allowing his family to observe a marked change in his vitality.
Impact on the Family and Outlook
Macs’s parents, Catrin and Dylan Green, reported that after the surgery he was “completely different,” showing signs of thriving despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding a transplant. Medical staff have cautioned that the timeline for a donor heart cannot be predicted, leaving the family in a prolonged waiting period.
Broader Significance
Macs’s story highlights the critical role of advanced mechanical support devices in pediatric cardiac care, especially when donor organs are scarce. It underscores the challenges families face while navigating long transplant lists and the importance of specialized centers capable of delivering both ECMO and Berlin Heart therapy.
Next Steps
The medical team will continue to monitor Macs’s condition, manage the Berlin Heart device, and maintain his place on the national transplant waiting list until a suitable donor heart becomes available.
