Arizona: A six-day-old, prematurely born, Arizona baby successfully underwent a heart transplant after being diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition.
The baby boy is continuing to recover after doctors initially told his parents that he may not survive.
According to an Arizona daily, the baby's mother, Caylyn Otto was put in the care of pediatric cardiologist Dr. Christopher Lindblade of Phoenix children's Hospital soon after her 20 week prenatal exam indicated of some problem with the fetus.
The left ventricle was found to be huge according to the 24-week-old baby due to which doctors told Otto and the baby's father Chris Crawford that their child may be born ‘stillborn', and if he made it through delivery he would likely need a heart transplant.
In the second screening it was found that the infant's heart had enlarged to seven times the size of a 28-week-old fetus' left ventricle.
Doctors later told them that the chances of baby's survival are very less.
Otto was told that her son would have the best chance of survival if he made it to a 36-week-delivery, but she went into labor when she was 33 weeks pregnant.
The baby of Otto named, Oliver Hope, was born on January 5 and by January 9 he was placed on the transplant waiting list and a few days later he was matched with an unidentified donor and taken into surgery.
His lungs are still too weak for him to be taken home and doctors are still not sure as to when will he be released however, the daily reported that still the boy's body has not rejected the heart.
The new parents held a baby shower for him, and brought his infant car seat to his hospital room.
Doctors at Phoenix Children's Hospital believe that Oliver is one of the youngest patients to ever receive a heart transplant.
