Miracle Moment: Surgery heals teen’s heart and boosts confidence

It’s time for Miracle Moment, and we met a young man who is literally walking taller and with more confidence thanks to a fascinating surgery.

From a young age, Jake Knutson noticed a deep hollow in his chest that seemed to grow as he approached puberty.

Doctors eventually diagnosed him with pectus excavatum, a chest wall malformation that affects one in 400 children.

“By the time we saw him, his condition was so significant, so severe, that we knew that surgery was the only real option,” said Dr. Andre Hebra, a pediatric surgeon.

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The surgery involved inserting a metal bar between Knutson’s sternum and his heart.

Knutson was 13 at the time of his surgery. Now, just a couple weeks shy of his 16th birthday…

“I can tell the difference. I have more stamina now. I can run farther and longer,” Knutson said. “I can breathe deeper, get bigger breaths.”

These days, he works out with a trainer multiple times a week to build muscle and improve his posture.      

An improved physique, improved endurance and most importantly, improved health for the rest of his life. Gone is the defect that puts at risk for heart or lung problems down the road.

Knutson’s surgeon used a technique that caused cryoablation to freeze the nerves during surgery.

They stayed numb for two to three months, helping him heal quicker, without pain, and without the need for narcotics.

Knutson will have another surgery to remove the bar next year. He said he plans to put it on his shelf right next to his other trophies.