Babies in the News: Heart on the Sleeve Has a Whole New Meaning

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

26 Nov 2006 09:45 AM

This is a story that will likely touch your heart. At the end of October, a baby born via Caesarean section needed surgery in Miami to put his heart back into his chest. The doctors at Holtz Children's Hospital performed what many feel is a small miracle because the infant will be able to lead a more normal life. The baby, named Naseem, was born with his heart outside his chest and remained in stable condition last week following the surgery.

He Will Have to Avoid Body Blows

According to the physicians, he will have to avoid some sports where you may receive blows to the sternum, but just because he can't play competitive sports doesn't mean he can't live a full and productive life. According to reports, when Naseem was born, his heart was resting on the outside of his chest, yet it was beating normally. The surgery required to put the heart back inside his chest used some of the baby's skin and a material called Gore-Tex to provide a pericardium that he was missing before putting the heart back into his chest.

Though the condition is rare, the birth defect of being born with the heart outside the body is known as ectopia cordis. The condition was noticed during an ultrasound when the mother became concerned about the constant hiccups that her baby seemed to be experiencing. The movement was disconcerting and the doctors performed an ultrasound to see if they could spot the cause.

Delivered at 36 weeks, surgeons made a larger incision to remove the baby through to prevent his heart from being squeezed. What's more amazing is that despite the heart defect, Naseem was born weighing 9 pounds, 2 ounces and 21 inches long. Though his chest is not as developed, his heart and lungs will be protected by a piece of plastic over his chest for the next several months.

When he is six months old, they are planning to graft pieces of his own ribs across his chest in order to create a breastbone. The doctors were not sure of his survival rate when he was born, but now following the surgery and his continued good health, there is every chance he will be home by Christmas.

Now that's what I call a beautiful present.

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Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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Nola Redd (7081) 26 Nov 2006 12:19 PM

Wow! I can only imagine freaking out if I was his mom! I'm glad that they were able to spot the problem before delivery.

Heather Long (16954) 27 Nov 2006 11:28 AM

I'm glad they were able to find the problem as well and I can't be more grateful for modern medicine that gives us these opportunities to save lives!