Open-heart surgery a success for 2-year-old

Ruby Schmidt, 2, of Marion had open-heart surgery Oct. 2 at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., and surgery went well, said Eileen Schmidt, Ruby’s mother.

Surgeons closed a hole in Ruby’s heart and cleared an obstruction in her pulmonary valve, Schmidt said.

Schmidt said that down the road, maybe 10 to 15 years, Ruby will likely need another surgery to remove scar tissue in her pulmonary valve.

Doctors expected Ruby to leave the intensive care unit on Friday, and she could be out of the hospital by this Friday.