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Miracle Birth: Baby Saved by Rare In-Utero Surgery
2 Oct
Summary
- A newborn was saved by a rare Ex-Utero Intrapartum Treatment procedure.
- The infant suffered from fluid buildup in the chest and abdomen before birth.
- Doctors performed a 40-minute operation while the baby was still connected to the placenta.
A groundbreaking medical procedure in Kolkata has given a newborn a second chance at life. Doctors at Narayana Hospital Howrah successfully performed an Ex-Utero Intrapartum Treatment (EXIT) on a fetus diagnosed with Hydrops Fetalis, a critical condition involving fluid buildup in the chest and abdomen.
Without intervention, the infant would not have survived delivery due to lung failure. The EXIT procedure allowed for the baby to be delivered only partially via C-section, remaining attached to the mother's placenta for oxygen. A specialized team of doctors executed a complex 40-minute operation.
During this delicate procedure, three tubes were inserted to drain the life-threatening fluid and establish a critical airway for assisted breathing. Once the baby's lifeline was secured, she was fully delivered. Following extensive post-operative care in the intensive care unit, the infant is now recovering well and is expected to develop normally.
The 24-year-old mother, whose husband is posted in Nagaland, returned to Howrah for specialized care. Initial evaluations aimed to rule out structural, genetic, or infectious abnormalities in the fetus. In the 31st week of pregnancy, preterm labor began, necessitating immediate action and medications to mature the baby's lungs.
