By Howard Koplowitz
Julian Olivares said he considered his son Justin’s birth to be a “miracle.”
It took a team of more than 30 doctors, nurses and technicians at the Children’s Hospital at Long Island Jewish Medical Center to deliver Justin, who was diagnosed with an obstructed airway while in the womb.
There have only been 49 cases similar to Justin’s reported in medical literature in the last 20 years, according to the hospital.
Dr. Dennis Davidson, chief of the Neonatalogy Division at the Children’s Hospital, formerly known as Schneider Children’s Hospital, said Justin was diagnosed with the obstructed airway 20 weeks into his mother Derly’s pregnancy. The condition was not dangerous inside the mother because Justin was getting oxygen into his lungs through the placenta. But Davidson said the blocked airway could have been lethal during delivery.
“At the moment of birth, the problem is fatal,” Davidson said. Justin also could have suffered a serious brain injury because of a lack of oxygen, the doctor said.
“In order to prevent that, we purposely delivered Justin about four weeks before his due date so we could have a controlled situation and prevent the mother from going into natural labor, which would have been devastating,” Davidson said.
Doctors operated on Justin, who was under anesthesia, by delivering only his head and neck while he was still attached by his umbilical cord to his mother. In the operating room, 36 doctors, nurses and technicians successfully delivered Justin Sept. 22. He weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces.
Doctors put a scope in the fetus’ mouth and confirmed a complete airway obstruction, an area about an inch below the voicebox, which did not form a hollow tube. A tracheostomy was performed to bypass the obstruction, Davidson said.
At birth, Justin’s neonatal team took over and resuscitated the baby, who had an excess of lung fluid because of the obstruction, Davidson said. Justin had to be put on respiratory support and ventilation assistance until his muscles were able to be trained over time so he could breathe on his own.
It took about 2 1/2 months before Justin was off breathing-machine support, Davidson said.
Besides the obstruction, Justin had a condition known as ventricular septal defect, or VSD, meaning he had a hole between two pumping chambers of his heart, which can cause congestive heart failure, Davidson said. After his birth, Justin was given medications for his heart and the hole closed up on its own, Davidson said.
Now 3 1/2 month old, Justin doubled his birth weight and was ready to go home Saturday, Davidson said.
The doctor said Justin has passed key milestones. He is able to smile, he watches a mobile, watches television, interacts with his family and is starting to roll, Davidson said.
“We’re really thankful for the doctors,” said Julian Olivares, who lives in Huntington Station, L.I. “It’s like a miracle. Everybody’s taking care of him.”
“I want to say thank you for the doctors,” said his wife, Derly. “Thanks for the support they’ve given us.”
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
