Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD

Guest: Karla Christian, MD

Despite the tremendous conflict in Iraq, there have been many medical miracles. One such story centers around Amenah Al-Bayati, a young Iraqi girl found ill by a United States Marine Corps battalion surgeon, who suspected the girl had a potentially life-threatening heart condition, fixable only by immediate surgery. Amenah was subsequently brought to the United States for this complex, life-saving surgery, performed by Dr. Karla Christian at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital in Nashville.

After her exhaustive journey from Iraq, Amenah had developed a series of infections. Dr. Christian and her team discovered Amenah’s heart condition to be more intricate than originally suspected. How did these developments affect planning for the little girl’s surgery? Further, Amenah’s case received significant national media attention for many reasons. How did Dr. Christian handle the additional media demands while preparing to perform an already complex procedure?

Find out more, as host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill speaks with Dr. Christian about her preparations for little Amenah’s surgery.