(Image source from: Successful heart transplantation for 6days old)

Doctors of Phoenix Children's Hospital in Arizona, had successfully transplanted the heart of a six-day old premature baby, who has become the youngest infant to receive a heart transplant at a US hospital.

Baby Oliver Crawford, born seven weeks before the scheduled delivery with a heart defect. A prenatal examination or diagnosis at 20 weeks showed a defect in the tiny baby's heart, called dilated cardiomyopathy.  

"The doctors had very little hope that he would survive the pregnancy, and when our water broke at 33 weeks, we were prepared to deliver a still born baby," said Caylyn Otto, mother of the baby.

Doctors planned for a birth at 36 weeks, but Otto went into labor earlier at 33 weeks. Within hours of the birth the baby was completely screened and diagnosed to see whether he was healthy enough for a heart transplant. He was put on a national transplant waiting list on January 9, and two days later a viable heart became available.   

The operation lasted for 10 hours, after which he had an incision from his belly to his chest.       

"From our understanding Oliver is the youngest recipient in the nation. He received his transplant at 34 weeks and 3 days gestation," said his mother. Baby is recovering well at hospital ans he weighing about 6.1 pounds now.     

"It is amazing, after expecting the worst, Oliver is indeed a miracle," said the baby's father Chris Crawford.

-Kannamsai