ORLANDO, FLA. (WSVN) - A new mother in Florida is calling her baby a medical miracle ahead of Mother’s Day, thanks to a team of experts.
The Orlando family celebrated their miracle baby Cassian after a groundbreaking surgery allowed their son to be born not once, but twice ultimately saving his life.
At 19 weeks into Keishera Joubert’s pregnancy, doctors diagnosed Cassian with “CHAOS,” Congenital High Airway Obstruction Syndrome, a very rare and often deadly condition where a baby’s airway is blocked before birth.
“Our baby was getting sicker and sicker and we knew we had to do something if there was anything to be done that could save his life,” said Keishera.
One surgical procedure was unsuccessful so doctors presented another option one they’d never done before.
“We were on a race against time,” Gregory Joubert.
Cassian briefly entered the world at 25 weeks old marking the first time a surgery like this has been successful for a baby like him.
“We opened moms abdomen, her tummy, the uterus itself , delivered only the baby’s head outside the uterus, exposed the neck, then we placed baby back in the uterus, we closed the uterus, and mom stayed in the hospital until delivery,” said Emanuel Vlastos, MD
at Orlando Health Fetal Care Center.
While waiting for cassian’s arrival, his family was able to get an early look at their little miracle.
“They took a little picture, so I got to see what my little boy looked like his features, like his nose and his ears and his eyes,” said Keishera.
Cassian’s family was full of gratitude for the medical team that helped bring their baby boy into the world.
Dr. Vlastos described the medical breakthrough.
“We are very peased to be able to be successful with this first surgery,” said Vlastos.
To address the blockage that keeps him on a ventilator Cassian will face at least three more surgeries before he turns two, but through the long journey there are moments to pause and celebrate what matters most.
“We’re planning just a small party for his, his first birthday anniversary of the surgery that saved his life,” said Keishera.
And mom and dad celebrate their little boy every day.
“There were a lot of challenges where we had to be ready to say goodbye, but we said hello,” said Gregory.
CHAOS is extremely rare, affecting around one in every 50,000 to 100,000 births and is often fatal.
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