A team of 50 medics crammed into an operation theatre at a London hospital to carry out a rare procedure to save a newborn baby’s life.
Freddie Verschueren was delivered at St George’s hospital in Tooting using the rare ex-utero intrapartum treatment (Exit) procedure, which delivers babies who could potentially have serious challenges at birth.
Medics chose to use the procedure after a prenatal scan detected a cyst on his tongue that could potentially block his airways. Without the operation, Freddie would not have been able to breathe independently after birth.
During the operation, the team of surgeons made an incision in mother Anna’s stomach and delivered Freddie’s head and shoulders first, leaving him attached to the placenta and able to breathe.
They then established an airway so he could breathe before delivering the rest of him.
Freddie was born weighing 6lb 8oz at birth and was able to go home a healthy baby with his parents Anna and Peter, from Horsham. Ms Verschueren said: “We’ve been incredibly impressed with St George’s. At every step it has been outstanding care.
“When we found out we needed to have the procedure we felt in such safe hands with the experts at St George’s. We never doubted their skill and advice.”
The operation, which took place in February, was led by consultant obstetrician Professor Asma Khalil and involved about 50 medics from a range of specialties. She said: “An Exit procedure involves a large number of expertss from various backgrounds including an obstetrician, fetal medicine specialist, an anaesthetist, a paediatric anaesthetist, a paediatric ENT surgeon, midwives and the neonatal team, as well as other theatre staff.
“I am very grateful to the efforts by every member of our large team who ensured that we delivered the best care to Anna and Freddie. Saving babies’ lives and caring for the parents during challenging times is the most rewarding aspect of my job.” The Exit procedure is extremely rare across the world but has been performed twice by doctors at St George’s in the past year. Medics only perform the procedure when it is thought that the baby will have an immediate, critical problem once separated from the mother at birth.
Dr Richard Jennings, chief medical officer for St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group, said: “St George’s is one of the few hospitals that carries out this rare procedure and saves the lives of many babies. I am pleased to hear that Freddie is doing well. St George’s wishes him and his family all the best.”
