Incredible Rescue Story of Little Kateryna
Doctors at Kyiv's "Okhmatdyt" saved 8-month-old Kateryna, who suffered from a rare and complex urological condition – the absence of the anterior abdominal wall and the bladder wall.
During a single surgical procedure, the medical team performed six different interventions, as reported on the hospital's official page.
Two weeks before her delivery, the girl's mother, Lyudmyla from Sumy region, learned that her child had a serious developmental issue. Initially, doctors suspected it was an umbilical hernia, but after birth, it became clear that the situation was much more complicated.
"The mother didn’t even get to hold her daughter – she was immediately taken for examination. The results showed that the girl lacked both the anterior abdominal wall and the bladder wall, and the bladder was open. This is a rare and extremely complex pathology that requires urgent surgical intervention," – the staff at "Okhmatdyt" explained.
Initially, little Kateryna was placed in the neonatal intensive care unit, and then spent a month in the surgical department, where doctors helped her gain weight and stabilize her nutrition.
Following that, Kateryna was moved to the urology department, where preparations began for the crucial surgery.
"The danger of this pathology lies in the fact that while we can construct a bladder, its functionality is uncertain. Frequently, such children have an inverted bladder and suffer from vesicoureteral reflux. Typically, we address this during bladder formation by transplanting the ureters," – explained pediatric urologist Alina Puzko.
When the girl turned six months old, doctors began preparing her for surgery, but a new issue arose: urine was leaking onto the abdominal wall, causing severe inflammation.
The doctors stated that operating on Kateryna in that condition was risky, as it could jeopardize the function of the newly formed bladder.
At eight months old, the urology team conducted a complex surgical intervention, accomplishing six tasks:
- formed the bladder, its neck, and urethra;
- repaired the umbilicus;
- performed plastic surgery on the anterior abdominal wall;
- repaired the pubic bones of the pelvis.
Previously, such surgeries took up to six hours, but thanks to the coordinated efforts of the surgeons, the duration of the procedure was halved, significantly reducing risks and easing the child's recovery from anesthesia.
Now, doctors are closely monitoring how the bladder grows and begins to function.
Lyudmyla, the mother of the little patient, dreams of returning home with her daughter – both healthy and safe.
