Naseem Hasni was born by cesarean section on October 31st with his heart outside his chest. Doctors from the Holtz Children’s Hospital, Miami, Florida, USA, carried out corrective surgery on him and say the boy should be able to lead a nearly-normal life. He is currently in a ‘critical but stable’ condition. At birth, he weighed 9 pounds and 2 ounces, and was 21 inches long.
Dr. Eliot Rosenkranz, one of the surgeons who carried out the operation, said Naseem will have to avoid sports where a blow to the sternum may happen. But he will be able to take part in most other sports and activities. “Certainly the goal is as normal a childhood as he can achieve,” said Dr. Rosenkranz.
(The Sternum is also know as The Breastbone)
When Nazeem was born his heart was on his chest, on the outside, pumping normally. The aorta went from his heart straight into his chest. Doctors wrapped his heart in Gore-Tex, plus a layer of his own skin, and gradually moved it inside his body.
Naseem was born with Ectopia Cordis – the heart develops outside the body and the baby does not have a sternum. The sternum protects us from impacts, hence he should never play impact sports. When he is a bit older, about six months, pieces of his ribs will be grafted across his chest to create a makeshift sternum. About 1 in every 180,000 to 126,000 babies are born with Ectopia Cordis.
Doctors knew about his condition about a month before he was born after an ultrasound scan. In September his mother had noticed he seemed to be having hiccups all the time (probably the beating heart).
http://www.holtzchildrenshospital.org
About the Sternum or Breastbone (Wikipedia)
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today