Boston Doctors Perform Successful Brain Surgery On Baby Before Birth

BOSTON, MA — After an ultrasound revealed the fetus of a Louisiana couple had a potentially-fatal condition, the pair traveled to Boston, where doctors successfully performed a high-risk surgery before the baby was born, according to CNN and a research letter published in the journal Stroke on Thursday.

The fetus was diagnosed with a rare brain condition known as vein of Galen malformation. According to Boston Children's Hospital, the condition occurs when misshapen arteries in the brain connect directly with veins instead of connecting with capillaries, causing a rush of blood into the veins.

After 30 weeks of a smooth pregnancy, the baby's parents-to-be, Derek and Kenyatta Coleman, 39 and 36, of Baton Rouge, were told that something was wrong with the fetus's brain and heart, the couple told CNN.

When the Colemans learned there was a clinical trial run by Brigham and Women’s and Boston Children’s hospitals that could provide treatment before their baby was born, the pair told the outlet they felt they had no other choice but to make the trip to Boston in an attempt to save their child's life.

During the surgery, which occurred in March, physicians used ultrasound-guided prenatal embolization, injecting material into the blood vessels of the vein of Galen malformation to close off the blood flow and relieve pressure, according to the research letter.

Galen malformation is often noticed on a prenatal ultrasound late in pregnancy, or it is diagnosed after birth, according to Boston Children's. The research letter said that fetal intervention may decrease a baby's risk of brain damage and death by solving the problem before extreme pressure has time to build.

The surgery was successful, resulting in "complete elimination" of the risk of multi-organ medical consequences associated with vein of Galen malformation, including heart failure and pulmonary hypertension, doctors said.

On March 17, Denver Coleman was born. Her parents told CNN that now, at nearly two months old, Denver is thriving and there's no indication that she needs any additional interventions.

"She’s shown us from the very beginning that she was a fighter," Kenyatta Coleman recalled to the outlet. "She’s demonstrated … "Hey, I wanna be here.'"