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NEWS
Life of Infant Saved By Prenatal Operation
by N. Katzin
In a rare operation performed recently in Israel, the life
of a baby was saved by the insertion of a drain into her
chest a few months prior to birth. The operation was
mandated by an accumulation of fluids and the appearance of
edema.
The medical procedure was carried out on a 36-year-old
mother of six children. She had been referred to the
Gynecology and Maternity Department of Sheba Hospital as a
result of the findings of a routine ultrasound exam. The
scan displayed a large quantity of fluid in the right side
of the fetus' chest pressing onto the heart, reducing the
size of the lungs and causing general edema.
After comprehensive tests, it was decided to insert a
permanent drain into the chest of the fetus to draw out the
accumulated fluids. This procedure was done under local
anesthetics by Professor Shlomo Lipitz, who is in charge of
invasive treatment in the Gynecology and Maternity
Department, as well as by Professor Reuven Ochiron, an
ultrasound expert and Dr. Benny Chen. Within a few days the
edema vanished, and all monitors attested that all systems
were functioning correctly. Three-and-a-half months ago, a
healthy baby girl weighing 3.5 kilograms was born.
Professor Shlomo Lipitz told Yated Ne'eman that if
the operation hadn't been performed, it is highly probable
that the infant would have died in utero or right
after birth. "It is vital to stress the importance of
prenatal diagnosis, since today there are options for
treating many problems, and in many cases it is possible to
save the lives of infants or to prevent deformities and
handicaps," he noted.
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