CHOP Mobile Operating Room Saves Newborn's Life
NBCPhiladelphia.com
James Forte with son, Wyatt, before surgery.
Only three-days old, Wyatt Forte was struggling to breathe on his own. Doctors at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia needed to operate fast to fix his fragile lungs. But they did not want to risk moving him so, instead, they brought the operating room to him.
“Instead of taking the baby from the NICU and transporting the baby up to the OR on the 4th floor...it makes sense in some circumstances just to bring the team, the OR team, to the kid,” Surgeon Scott Adzick of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia said.
Baby Wyatt, of Doylestown, suffered from a life-threatning birth defect known as Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia -- a hole in his diaphragm caused his bowels to push into his chest, squishing his developing lungs.
The NICU was tranformed into a regular operating room with equipment and a full staff. Doctors were able to successfully perform the surgery at Baby Wyatt’s beside. Family members were also able to be there.
“It was comforting too seeing all the people there for one little person,” Jason Forte, Baby Wyatt’s father, said.
There is more good news Baby Wyatt. The surgery was a success and he should be able to start breathing on his own within a few weeks, doctors said.
Posted Monday, Jul 27, 2009 - 3:35 PM EST
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