Le Bonheur Children’s Fetal Center
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Doctors at Le Bonheur Children’s Fetal Center deal with high-risk pregnancies, including the case of Keegan Rivers. “There was a diagnosis of an oral mass – there was a mass inside the mouth of the fetus,” said Fetal Center Medical Director, Dr. Giancarlo Mari. The cyst was detected on an ultrasound during the mother’s second trimester. Fetal Center doctors decided they would perform an exit procedure during delivery. “Only the baby’s head and chest are delivered out of the womb. The abdomen and the lower extremities are still inside the womb where they’re warm, they’re kept at body temperature,” said Le Bonheur’s Chief of Surgery, Dr. Jerome Thompson. “The umbilical cord is not cut and so the baby is still receiving the nutrients of oxygen and blood flow from the mother.” During surgery, both mother and baby received general anesthesia and a paralytic agent in order to prevent breathing. “The procedure is unfortunately terminated the first time they try to take a breath because that alters their pulmonary circulation and they can no longer use the umbilical cord for life support,” said Dr. Thompson. Doctors worked quickly to secure the air way and provide an alternative air way of an endotracheal tube – all while the baby was still attached. “If this procedure had not been done, there could have been a period of inoxia or lack of oxygen,” said Dr. Thompson. “And the child could have been brain damaged.” Dr. Thompson says baby Keegan’s oxygen level never fell. “When you can deliver a child, participate in the delivery of a child and you know that you’ve helped deliver a health normal child – it’s tremendously rewarding,” Dr. Thompson. Le Bonheur’s Fetal Center doctors tell us procedures like Keegan’s are little to no risk for delivering mothers.
