Baby born with heart outside body beats odds, heads home
Audrina Cardenas' smile will melt your heart; her story might break it (though this week brings good news for the adorable baby). Born in Houston nearly four months ago with much of her heart outside her body, Audrina left the hospital Wednesday and headed home for the first time. Though her rare condition is often fatal within days of birth, Audrina has beaten the odds with her doctors' help. Her medical team performed open-heart surgery the day after she was born: They made a cavity in her chest, put her heart in it and covered it with skin from elsewhere on her body. They've also fitted Audrina with a protective chest shield — pink, with a heart on it, natch.
Audrina Cardenas, born with much of her heart outside her body, left Texas Children's Hospital with her mother on Wednesday.
The day before, Audrina was checked by a steady stream of doctors who inspected her heart protective shield before she was discharged. The condition is fairly rare, and is usually fatal within the first few days after birth.
But despite the odds, little Audrina continued to make strides.
Dr. Charles Fraser and his team of cardiovascular, pediatric and plastic surgeons performed a six-hour open-heart surgery the day after Audrina's delivery Oct. 15, fashioning a cavity in the chest, putting the protruding heart in it and then stretching skin from elsewhere on her body over it.
Audrina's condition was discovered 16 weeks into the pregnancy of Ashley Cardenas, 25, an Odessa title loans manager and mother of twins. She'd never heard of the diagnosis when doctors told her an ultrasound showed the developing malformation.
From Houston Chronicle/ Posted by Mags
Audrina Cardenas, born with much of her heart outside her body, left Texas Children's Hospital with her mother on Wednesday.
The day before, Audrina was checked by a steady stream of doctors who inspected her heart protective shield before she was discharged. The condition is fairly rare, and is usually fatal within the first few days after birth.
But despite the odds, little Audrina continued to make strides.
Dr. Charles Fraser and his team of cardiovascular, pediatric and plastic surgeons performed a six-hour open-heart surgery the day after Audrina's delivery Oct. 15, fashioning a cavity in the chest, putting the protruding heart in it and then stretching skin from elsewhere on her body over it.
Audrina's condition was discovered 16 weeks into the pregnancy of Ashley Cardenas, 25, an Odessa title loans manager and mother of twins. She'd never heard of the diagnosis when doctors told her an ultrasound showed the developing malformation.
From Houston Chronicle/ Posted by Mags
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