Australian doctors have saved the life of a tiny, premature baby after she was born with a two kilogram tumour on her spine.
Saylor was born three months early, with a tumour weighing double her own birth weight of 1025 grams. Her fast-growing tumour was found during a 20-week scan, with her parents Rachel and Kieran Thomson told their daughter had a 25 to 40% chance of survival.
“When the social worker and surgeons first gathered to tell us she had little chance of making it due to prematurity and the tumour, I cried hysterically,” Rachel Thomson said.
However, doctors were able to save tiny Saylor’s life, and almost two months on since her birth in August, she’s getting stronger by the day.
“Being able to hold Saylor in my arms and know she has come through the other side is something special.”
The complex six-hour operation to remove Saylor’s tumour was performed at Queensland’s Mater Mothers’ Hospital. Saylor had a sacrococcygeal teratoma, which is a tumour that grows from a baby’s tailbone. The tumours only occur in one out of 40,000 live births, and are life threatening as they divert blood from the baby, increasing their risk of heart failure.
Mater Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit Professor Sailesh Kumar said Saylor’s tumour was the largest ever removed from a baby of her size at Mater Mothers’ Hospital.
Saylor was delivered by Professor Kumar and a team of 25 surgeons, neonatologists, anaesthetists, theatre staff, nurses and midwives.
“We don’t know why the tumour grows, but it arises from embryonic germ cells and is four times more likely to occur in female infants,” Prof Kumar said.
“Saylor’s tumour was extremely large and very complex. The tumour extended into her pelvis and abdomen. Many of these babies do not survive the pregnancy. Essentially these tumours function like a large vascular shunt causing a lot of blood to return to the heart. In some babies the heart can’t cope with this extra volume and heart failure occurs.”
Neonatal and paediatric surgeon Dr Peter Borzi performed the complex operation, which included removing part of Saylor’s tailbone to prevent the tumour growing back. The tiny girl needed five blood transfusions during the surgery, but has been going from strength to strength.
“She has made a fantastic recovery, with the help of the teams at Mater Mothers’ Hospital and Queensland Children’s Hospital,” Dr Borzi said.
Saylor’s parents weren’t able to hold their daughter until she was 10 days old.
Mater Neonatologist Dr Richard Mausling said without the skills of the medical professionals involved, Saylor wouldn’t have survived.
“Being born prematurely, even at 28 weeks, carries its own potential risks,” Dr Mausling said. “Without a doubt, this was the biggest teratoma I have seen removed from any newborn baby, regardless of gestation.”
Saylor now weighs almost three kilos, and is getting stronger each and every day.
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Ellen replied
- 11 Nov 2022 , 8:50 am
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