JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – One out of 10 babies in the United States will be born premature, putting them at higher risk for being born with a hole in their heart. Many times, these holes will close by themselves. But some babies need an open-heart surgery. Now, a new device is allowing doctors to treat their tiniest patients with less risk.
Baby Jaden was born 17 weeks premature.
“He could fit in the palm of your hand. He was one pound, 10 ounces at birth. He did come out not breathing on his own,” Jaden’s mom, Tiffany Stewart, recalls.
Jaden had a large hole between the two blood vessels leading from his heart called patent ductus arteriosus, or PDA. It can cause a lifetime of respiratory problems.
Wolfson Children’s Hospital pediatric interventional cardiologist, Robert English, MD, explains, “He had a blood vessel in his chest that ordinarily closes after you’re born, but when you’re born prematurely, sometimes it doesn’t close and that blood vessel causes extra blood flow to go through your lungs, which makes it hard to get off of respiratory support.”
Dr. English says it’s normal to treat bigger babies with this problem, but not one as tiny as Jaden.
Instead of major surgery, a new device called the Piccolo allowed Dr. English to use a catheter – inserted through Jaden’s groin – to guide a wire mesh device through the vessels to close the opening.
“It’s just like a plug. So, it goes into the vessel and kind of plugs the vessel up,” Dr. English adds.
The plug can be smaller than a pea and there’s no need to remove it.
After six months in the NICU, Jaden is finally where he belongs.
Tiffany exclaims, “Just having him home in our own space, it just meant everything to us. Jaden is perfect. He’s so sweet. He’s such a sweet baby.”
By avoiding a major surgery, babies run a much lower risk of infection, can expect a quicker discharge, and a lifetime of healthier lungs.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Roque Correa, Videographer & Editor.
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Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pretermbirth.htm
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: PICCOLO PLUGS BABY JADEN’S HEART
REPORT: MB #5171
BACKGROUND: Preterm birth occurs when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Preterm birth affected 10 percent of pregnancies in the year 2021, and that number rose by four percent by the end of the year. The growth a baby undergoes during a pregnancy is important for the the brain, lungs, and liver. Babies born premature have a higher risk of death and disabilities. Babies who survive early delivery are at a higher risk of breathing issues, delayed development, vision issues, and hearing problems. In 2020, 16 percent of premature births resulted in death of the child.
(Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pretermbirth.htm
DIAGNOSING: Possible testing for a premature baby can include a breathing and heart rate monitor, fluid input and output, blood tests, an echocardiogram, an ultrasound scan, and an eye exam. If your baby develops other complications further specialized testing may be necessary. The neonatal intensive care unit is designed to provide 24 hour care for premature babies. Supportive care for children in the NICU can include being placed in an incubator, closely monitoring a baby’s vital signs, a feeding tube, time under bilirubin lights, and receiving a blood transfusion. Medications are sometimes given to help a premature baby return to normal functioning of the lungs and heart. Surgery is sometimes necessary to treat premature birth conditions but is often a last resort. A baby is ready to return home when they can breathe without support, hold a steady body temperature, can breast or bottle feed, and is free of infections.
(Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/premature-birth/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376736
NEW TECHNOLOGY: The FDA has has approved the first device for the treatment of premature babies with an opening in the heart. This technology is the first of its kind and is minimally invasive. The device is called the Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder, and can be implanted in babies as small as two pounds. It is a wire mesh that expands. It is inserted with a small incision in the leg and guidance into vessels in the heart, where it seals the opening in the heart. The approval of the technology is a life saving development and can help prevent the deaths of thousands of preemies.
(Source:
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Wesley Roberts
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