A Medical Miracle

I was riveted in the last few days to learning more about a syndrome I had never before heard of called Amniotic band syndrome. Which was brought to my attention via the news concerning baby Leah who had been operated on by two Melbourne surgeons. What made the news on this item was that the performed surgery was in utero at only 22 weeks. Without the intervention of the doctors Leah almost certainly, would have had legs amputated or at best, would never be able to walk. WOW. Leah was 22 weeks at the time and is now 6 months old. I have placed the story from the Sydney Morning Herald online website.

Surgeons in Melbourne have saved the legs of a baby in the womb by performing what is believed to be the earliest in-utero surgery of its kind in the world. Surgeons removed amniotic bands from above the ankles of baby Leah Bowlen while her mother Kylie was 22 weeks pregnant.

Without the surgery, Leah's legs would have naturally amputated.

Monash Medical Centre surgeons performed the operation, which involved inserting a 2mm operating telescope into Kylie's womb. The constricting bands were then identified and divided using laser and electric current. Leah, now almost six months old, was born at 30 weeks gestation on January 24, weighing just 1.63 kg.

She had further surgery on her left leg at the Royal Children's Hospital days after her birth to help straighten it. Leah's left leg is fully-functioning, with just an indentation mark around her ankle, according to information from Monash Medical Centre. Surgeons are hopeful that with physiotherapy and massage, Leah's right leg will also function.

A Monash spokeswoman said Leah was believed to be the youngest ever patient to have surgery to remove amniotic bands.
Amniotic band syndrome or amniotic disruption complex is a congenital limb abnormality, which occurs in between one in 12,000 and one in 15,000 live births.

This is amazing stuff. Wonderful times we live in I submit.