A rare prenatal procedure helped save the life of Noel Price, a Texas baby diagnosed before birth with a condition that caused her intestines to develop outside her body through a hole in her abdominal wall. Casey and Jonathan Price learned of the diagnosis at 17 weeks after an ultrasound led them to specialists at Texas Children’s Hospital, where doctors monitored the pregnancy closely as the opening tightened and threatened Noel’s organs. Doctors considered delivering her early but instead pursued an uncommon procedure using Botox injections to relax the abdominal wall and improve blood flow to the exposed intestines.
When Casey was 25 weeks pregnant, fetal surgeon Dr. Cara Buskmiller performed the procedure, which had only been done a handful of times worldwide. Although early ultrasounds showed no immediate improvement, doctors saw positive changes the following week, and the treatment allowed them to delay the delivery for another nine weeks. The additional time helped protect her organs and digestive system, allowing her to continue growing.
Noel was delivered by C-section weighing just three pounds, four ounces, and underwent surgery shortly after birth to treat the condition. After spending 81 days in the NICU, she recovered without needing additional surgeries and is now approaching 10 months old. According to her parents, Noel is eating solid foods, enjoys watching birds and playing with her older sister Evangeline, and continues to do well.
Source: PEOPLE
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