Newborn saved in rare surgery performed mid-delivery in Zagreb

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ZAGREB, 25 Nov (Hina) – A multidisciplinary team at the Zagreb University Hospital (KBC Zagreb) recently successfully performed a highly complex procedure on a newborn with an exceptionally large neck tumour.

This was a risky intervention for both mother and child, as part of the surgery was done while the baby was partially delivered and the rest immediately after birth.

This is the first such operation at KBC Zagreb and marks a significant advancement in care for the most vulnerable patients.

“To save this newborn’s life, gynecologists, ENT specialists, paediatricians, and neuroradiologists had to work together. This unique team, unmatched in Croatia and the region, made it possible,” said KBC Zagreb director Fran Borovečki.

MRI scans before birth showed the tumour nearly the size of the baby’s head, blocking the airway. A normal delivery would have been fatal, so multiple treatment plans were prepared.

During the C-section, the baby’s head was delivered while the body remained in the womb, still receiving oxygen via the umbilical cord, and doctors worked to secure an airway.

Once artificial breathing was secured, the baby was fully delivered, and the tumour was completely removed the same day as it continued to grow while the baby was in the ICU.

Such procedures are extremely rare worldwide, typically performed only once or twice a year in highly specialised centres for extreme fetal airway anomalies, explained neonatology chief Ruža Grizelj.

ENT surgeon Drago Prgomet noted the operation preserved all head and neck functions necessary for normal breathing, swallowing and future speech.

Pathology confirmed the tumour was a generally benign teratoma, though the child will require oncological follow-up.

Over a month after surgery, both baby and mother are healthy and at home, and the child is considered cured.