A young girl lies in an intensive care cot post heart surgery. Her mother holds her hand - stock photo

A young girl (3 years old) lies in an ICU cot post surgery for a VSD (Ventricular septal defect). She is on IV morphine to control the pain and IV heart medication. She is attached to the ventilator to help her breathing. Her two surgical drains are not visible but the central line and a line are. She is linked to a continuous ECG machine. Her mother sits in a chair beside her and holds her hand.A ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a hole in the heart. It's a common heart problem present at birth (congenital heart defect). The hole occurs in the wall that separates the heart's lower chambers (ventricles).