Saqib Majid
With great anticipation, Tammy Gonzalez arrived at her 17-week ultrasound visit in 2010. She was excited to share the experience with her husband and catch a peek of her developing baby, as are many expectant mothers. Everything appeared ideal at first: the infant was lively, healthy, and full of life. But then the screen showed something surprising.
The baby’s lips appeared to be emitting an odd, bubble-like shape. The technician didn’t laugh when Tammy suggested that her daughter may be blowing bubblesThat “bubble” was a tumor protruding from the baby’s mouth, not a harmless image.
Following additional tests and examinations, Tammy was diagnosed with a rare and horrifying condition: a fetal oral teratoma. Approximately one out of every 100,000 pregnancies results in this kind of malignancy. According to the doctors, the tumor might become so big that it would obstruct the baby’s airway during birth, preventing her from breathing. Since it’s so uncommon, nobody could really respond to me,” Tammy recalled.
The severity of the disease was described by Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Dr. Ruben Quintero. Such tumors have the potential to spread quickly and result in serious side effects, such as internal bleeding that could lead to miscarriage. Multiple operations and emergency procedures such as a tracheotomy are typically necessary for the few babies who make it to birth. Tammy had to make a devastating choice.
She was given two choices by her doctors: either end the pregnancy or attempt a first: operate on the unborn child while she was still in the womb. There were no assurances. Her daughter may be born with birth defects or persistent health problems, even if the surgery was successful. Tammy, however, didn’t pause long. She made the decision to defend her infant’s life.
Jackson Memorial Hospital’s team of experts took on the task. They had a high-risk fetoscopic surgery scheduled, which is a minimally invasive operation that uses laser equipment, tiny cameras, and tiny incisions. While the kid was still inside the womb, they gently removed the tumor during the procedure. Her heart continued to beat vigorously.
The procedure went well. There were no indications of concern, and the tumor had been totally removed. Everyone breathed out in relief as Tammy’s pregnancy proceeded as usual. Leyna, a gorgeous baby girl, was born to Tammy a few weeks later. She was crying, breathing on her own, and didn’t require any emergency care.
She was examined by doctors in detail. The tumor had disappeared. Like any healthy infant, Leyna started to meet her growth milestones and was able to breathe and feed regularly. Tammy was referred to as a miracle by her physicians. Since Leyna’s case represented a milestone in fetal surgery, word of her birth swiftly circulated throughout the medical community.
The location of oral teratomas makes them harmful in addition to their size. They make delivery particularly risky because they can obstruct the airway or disrupt other essential processes. Prior to Tammy’s situation, doctors usually waited until after birth to remove these tumors, which frequently had unfavorable results. However, everything was altered by Leyna’s account.