Doctors Took Him Out of the Womb During Surgery — Then Placed Him Back Inside to Save His Life

At just 19 weeks into pregnancy, Keishara Joubert received news no expectant mother is prepared to hear: her baby had a rare condition that could prevent him from surviving until birth.

Her son, Cassian, had congenital high airway obstruction syndrome (CHAOS), a serious condition in which the upper airway is blocked before birth. Fluid becomes trapped inside the baby’s lungs, causing them to enlarge and putting dangerous pressure on the heart.

The first procedure doctors attempted did not succeed. Faced with an increasingly urgent situation, the medical team at Orlando Health Women’s Institute proposed an extraordinary alternative — a procedure that would allow surgeons to access Cassian’s airway while he was still connected to his mother’s placenta.

It was a plan that had never, to the treating doctor’s knowledge, been successfully performed in this way for a baby with the condition.

A Diagnosis Before He Was Born

For Keishara and her husband, Greg, the diagnosis changed their pregnancy almost overnight. Instead of preparing only for the arrival of their second child, they had to confront the possibility of losing him before he could be born.

CHAOS is an uncommon congenital condition that blocks a baby’s upper airway. Because the fetus cannot release fluid from the lungs normally, the lungs can become severely enlarged. The resulting pressure can interfere with the baby’s circulation and place the heart at risk.

The condition is often life-threatening, and treatment requires highly specialized fetal and neonatal care. The Jouberts sought help from the Orlando Health Women’s Institute Fetal Care Center, where specialists assessed whether an intervention could give their son a chance.

The first procedure was unsuccessful. The family then faced another difficult decision: whether to proceed with a new surgical approach that the team believed might offer a path forward.

A Remarkable Operation at 25 Weeks

At 25 weeks of pregnancy, doctors began the unprecedented procedure. They made an incision through Keishara’s abdomen and uterus, similar to the beginning of a cesarean delivery, and partially delivered Cassian.

His head and neck were brought outside the womb while he remained connected to the placenta. This connection was essential: Cassian was still extremely premature, and the team needed to maintain his support while working to establish a way for air to reach his lungs.

Surgeons placed a temporary tube, called a cannula, below the airway obstruction. Once the tube was positioned, they carefully returned Cassian to the uterus and closed the uterus again.

His mother remained in the hospital under medical supervision until the next stage of delivery. The procedure gave Cassian more time to continue developing before birth, while the temporary airway provided a potential route for breathing after delivery.

The operation was an extraordinary example of fetal medicine, requiring close coordination among specialists in maternal care, fetal surgery, and newborn intensive care.

His Second Arrival Into the World

Cassian’s story is sometimes described as being “born twice.” His first emergence was during the fetal operation, when doctors brought his head and neck outside the womb to reach his airway. He was then returned to the uterus, where he continued growing.

At 31 weeks of pregnancy, Keishara’s water broke, and the medical team prepared to deliver him. This time, Cassian was born to begin life outside the womb, with specialized care ready to support his breathing and other needs.

His arrival was only the beginning of another demanding chapter. Cassian spent 132 days in the neonatal intensive care unit, where he received ongoing treatment and monitoring.

For his parents, every day brought uncertainty, but also the possibility that the surgery had given their son a future they had once feared might not be possible.

132 Days in the NICU — Then Home

After more than four months in intensive care, Cassian was finally able to go home with his family, just in time for Christmas.

Going home did not mean that all his medical challenges had ended. As reported by ABC News in May 2026, Cassian continued to use a ventilator and a feeding tube, and he was expected to undergo at least two additional surgeries.

His parents nevertheless felt profound gratitude that they could bring their son home. Greg described the emotional shift from preparing to say goodbye to being able to welcome Cassian into their lives.

For the Jouberts, the experience had transformed the meaning of milestones. Their son had survived an exceptionally complex medical journey before he had even reached his original due date.

A Future Built One Step at a Time

Cassian’s case highlights both the seriousness of CHAOS and the possibilities that can emerge when specialists develop an individualized treatment plan. The fetal operation was not a routine procedure, and the same approach may not be suitable for every baby with an airway obstruction.

His ongoing dependence on breathing and feeding support also shows that the operation was not a cure for every aspect of his condition. Cassian still needs specialist care and further treatment as he grows.

Yet his story offers a powerful example of what coordinated fetal and neonatal medicine can make possible in an exceptionally difficult situation. A diagnosis that once threatened his life before birth led to an ambitious surgical plan, months of intensive care, and eventually a journey home with his family.

For Keishara and Greg, Cassian’s life is now marked by two unforgettable milestones: the day doctors first intervened to give him a chance, and the day they were finally able to bring their baby home.

Source: ABC News, “Parents of baby boy who was ‘born twice’ speak out,” May 4, 2026; Orlando Health Women’s Institute Fetal Care Center, Cassian’s CHAOS surgery story.