Life-saving blood transfusion saves Durban baby
An Nkandla family is overjoyed to be holding their baby boy in their arms after he was given just days to live when diagnosed with a life threatening condition while still in his mother's womb.
Little Mihle Biyela had already started to go into heart failure when his mother, Ntombenhle Biyela was six months pregnant.
He started accumulating fluid around his heart and other important organs.
Local foetal specialist, Ismael Bhorat says after investigating, it was found that Mihle was suffering from an extreme case of foetal anaemia which is fatal to unborn babies.
Bhorat says a decision was made to give the foetus a blood transfusion but the procedure was potentially life threatening to Mihle.
"It's very [risky]. It's fraught with complications because what happens when you do a in-utero foetal transfusion - you have to put blood through the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord is the lifeline of the foetus - that's oxygen and nutrients flowing into the foetus. There are many complications you can get."
Bhorat says the procedure was a surprising success.
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"This baby was in extreme cardiac failure. Within a week after we transfused the foetus - the baby started to kick again and really came back to life."
Little Mihle was born last week in good health. He went home this week.
