A newborn baby with a heart located outside of the chest was born at 11:10 PM on September 26, 2005, weighing 3.2 kg, at Thai Nguyen Central General Hospital. Initially, the baby appeared to be healthy, but just one day later, their condition quickly deteriorated, and the heart showed significant signs of bruising compared to when they were born.
According to doctors in the obstetrics department of the hospital, the baby has a congenital heart defect known as ectopia cordis. The baby’s mother (patient Hoang Thi Huong) was admitted to the hospital at 10:50 AM on September 21, 2005, in good health, with normal biochemical test results. However, she tested positive for HbsAg (hepatitis B). Upon admission, ultrasound examinations led the doctors to diagnose that the baby would have a heart defect located outside the chest. After the baby was born, Thai Nguyen Central General Hospital recommended that the family transfer the baby to Hanoi, but it wasn’t until 12:30 PM on September 28, 2005, that the family agreed to transfer the baby to Sweden Children’s Hospital for further monitoring and treatment.
