Health
1News

'It's beyond a miracle' - baby born with heart outside body survives surgery

December 13, 2017

A baby born with her heart outside her body has survived following surgery in the UK.

Vanellope Hope Wilkins was born without a breastbone when she was delivered by Caesarean section on November 22.

She has since had three operations to place her heart inside her chest in Glenfield Hospital, Leicester.

The condition, ectopia cordis, is extremely rare with only a handful of cases per million, most of which are stillborn.

Dean Wilkins, Vanellope's father, told the BBC "we were advised to have a termination and that the chances of survival were next to none - no one believed she was going to make it except us."

Vanellope was due to be born on Christmas Eve but was instead delivered three weeks ago to reduce chances of infection and damage to her heart.

The baby went through the first of three surgeries to fix the condition within 50 minutes of her birth.

Around 50 medical staff were present for her birth, including obstetricians, heart surgeons, anaesthetists and midwives.

 

SHARE ME

More Stories