HISTORIC! Infant Gets Heart Transplant

Medic-ALL (02:13:2015)  MEDICAL:

A 6-day-old premature baby born in Arizona, United States of America has become the youngest infant to receive a heart transplant. The baby Olivier Crawford had the operation at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Arizona after he was born 7 weeks prior to scheduled date with a life-threatening heart condition and amidst fears by the doctors hat he may not survive birth. 

Historic! 6-day-Old gets Heart Transplant in U.S hospital

Doctors had first noticed something was amiss during Caylyn Otto’s 20 week prenatal exam. She was subsequently put in the care of pediatric cardiologist Dr. Christopher Lindblade at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, who was shocked at the size of the fetus’ heart.

The left ventricle was huge for a 24-week-old,” Lindblade told The Arizona Republic. “It was massive.”

The formal diagnosis was dilated cardiomyopathy ( a condition associated with dilated heart chambers and impaired contractility).Doctors told Otto and the baby's father  that their child may be born stillborn, and if he made it through delivery he would likely need a heart transplant.

The mother, Otto was told that her son would have the best chance of survival if he made it to a 36-week delivery, but she went into labor after 33 weeks of gestation.

Within hours of birth, the baby was screened to ascertain he was healthy enough to have a heart transplant procedure and then was placed on the transplant list on January 9th, 2 days after which a viable heart became available. The operation lasted 10 hours and the baby is presently in recovery.

Though his lungs are too weak for him to be taken home and doctors aren’t sure how long it will be until he is released, his body hasn’t rejected the heart, the report said.

The new parents held a baby shower for him, and brought his infant car seat to his hospital room.

The Doctors at Phoenix Children’s Hospital believe Oliver is one of the youngest patients to ever receive a heart transplant.

The entire medical community does perceive Olivier's case,  something truly miraculous.

Ref: FoxNewsHealth