Saving the life of a newborn with a rare umbilical cord hernia

On May 19, information from Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital said that doctors at this hospital had just saved the life of a newborn baby with a rare umbilical hernia that caused the intestines and liver in the baby's abdomen to protrude out.

This baby boy is the son of pregnant woman H. (living in Quynh Luu District, Nghe An). Previously, during a pregnancy check-up at week 12, the fetus was found to have an umbilical hernia, and the intestines and liver in the abdomen had escaped, creating a large bulge in the baby's abdomen. On March 17, pregnant woman H. gave birth by cesarean section at week 38 at Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. The baby boy, weighing 3 kg, was born with urgent emergency preparations in the operating room by doctors.

The patient was consulted by interdisciplinary doctors, who determined that this was a rare fetal malformation and very difficult to treat. The hernia was about 6x7 cm in diameter, the liver and intestines were inside the hernia, the child's abdominal volume was very small. The hernia sac had been perforated. Doctors predicted that the child had a severe hernia, with a risk of infection, respiratory failure, and a high mortality rate. The treatment time would be long, the child would need to fast and undergo multiple surgeries, combined with an active resuscitation plan and close monitoring.

This child has undergone three complicated surgeries. The first two surgeries were to widen the child's hernia, cover the liver and intestines with sterile bags, and suspend the liver and intestines so that these organs can slowly re-enter the abdominal cavity. After the surgeries, the patient was put on a ventilator, sedated, and given deep muscle relaxation. The third surgery was to push the liver back into the abdominal cavity, forming the abdominal wall.

After 3 surgeries, the child's liver and intestines were all in the abdomen.

Up to now, after nearly 2 months of treatment, the patient has been weaned off the ventilator, learned to breastfeed, is in stable health and has been discharged from the hospital.

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