 |
Baby Aideen "makes history" with Procedure - 30/01/2007
By Mary Regan
A MIRACLE baby is enjoying her first few days at home after undergoing the country’s first ‘EXIT’ procedure — an operation carried out on the baby while it is being delivered.
Baby Aideen McMahon “made history in her own little way”, according to her father, by becoming the first baby born following the operation, three days after Christmas.
The procedure had been carried out in Ireland three times before, but in those cases, the babies did not survive.
Aideen was due on January 16 but 20 weeks into the pregnancy doctors discovered through a scan that she had a tumour on her tongue.
Her father, Anthony McMahon, said: “We went for regular check ups in the Rotunda from then on in and we were assured that just a little snip would fix it when the baby was being born. We were very worried because of the size of the tumour. To put it in simple terms, they popped her head out, removed the growth, and delivered her fully.”
The procedure involves a caesarean section which is carried out to the point of delivering the baby’s head only. The rest of the baby is left in place in the uterus with the placenta keeping the baby oxygenated — acing as a living ‘life-support machine’. This allows the surgeon enough time to remove the obstruction and secure the airway in the baby, before the rest of the baby is delivered.
Mr McMahon said: “We were very worried because of the risk involved but the medical team were very reassuring.”
Professor Fergal Malone, who was part of the team that carried out the procedure, said: “We had diagnosed a large mass on the baby’s tongue at about 20 weeks of the pregnancy using our latest 3D ultrasound equipment. We had been following it and planning the EXIT procedure together with our paediatric ENT colleges from Temple Street.”
After Aideen was born, weighing 6.3lbs, she was transferred to Temple Street Children’s Hospital in Dublin, and was later discharged to her home in Dundalk.
Prof Malone said: “The baby has done really well and has subsequently been discharged home from Temple Street, in perfect condition.”
Her dad said she is getting “bigger and bolder”. He said: “She is sleeping normally and feeding normally and growing all the time. You would never know the difference that something had been wrong with her.”
He said: “It was an absolute miracle altogether. She was very fortunate. She doesn’t know it now, but she has made history in her own little way. I’m sure she’ll hear it when she grows older.”
Other News
Back to top
|
