Texas Children's Fetal Center, US
When Macie McCartney was just a 4-month old fetus, she developed a tumor on her tailbone which began to sap her supply of blood. In a rare instance of prenatal surgery, doctors carefully extracted mother Keri McCartney's uterus, made an incision, and positioned baby Macie so that she could be operated on in utero. The benign tumor they removed was reported to be the size of a grapefruit. The surgery was a complete success with no complications, and after 10 more weeks of normal growth, Macie was born healthy. She is expected to go home with her parents on Saturday.
For pictures and details, visit http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364500,00.html
In similar news, Australian surgeons performed a laparoscopic operation on a 22-week old fetus, in what they believe is the earliest prenatal surgery of this kind. Baby Leah, who developed "band syndrome" in which tissue wraps tightly around developing appendages and endangers their growth, was born in January. Although she did incur some damage to her right leg, doctors believe she will be able to walk.
To read more about baby Leah, visit http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364450,00.html
News of medicinal triumphs like this never ceases to amaze me. I saw an episode of "House, MD" once where they did a prenatal surgery and I thought it couldn't be done in real life. It makes me proud, even though I'm not a doctor, to know that we can.
- Mother Goose
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