Baby Boy Born With a Large Tumor on His Neck Needed Doctors to Save His Airway Before His First Breath

Before baby Isaac was even born, his parents, Jennifer and Angel, knew that his first moments in the world would be unlike those of most newborns.

A large tumor had developed on his neck while he was still in the womb. As the mass continued growing, doctors became increasingly concerned that it could obstruct his airway when he was delivered.

For his parents, the frightening possibility was difficult to imagine: Their son might enter the world unable to breathe independently.

But a specialized medical team at Boston Children’s Hospital was preparing an extraordinary plan to give him the safest possible beginning.

A Frightening Discovery at 27 Weeks

Jennifer was 27 weeks pregnant when her obstetrician in Western Massachusetts noticed an unusual mass on her unborn son’s neck during a routine ultrasound.

A follow-up examination several weeks later showed that the growth had increased in size.

Jennifer was referred to a specialized maternal-fetal care team in Boston, where an MRI and additional testing confirmed that Isaac had a teratoma.

A teratoma is a tumor that can contain different types of tissue. Although many are benign, some can grow rapidly and cause serious complications depending on their location.

In Isaac’s case, the tumor was pressing against the structures involved in breathing.

Doctors feared that once he was separated from the placenta and needed to breathe independently, the mass could block his airway.

Doctors Prepared to Help Him Before Cutting the Umbilical Cord

To give Isaac the best possible chance, specialists developed a plan involving an ex-utero intrapartum treatment procedure, commonly known as EXIT.

Unlike a conventional cesarean delivery, an EXIT procedure allows doctors to partially deliver the baby while maintaining the connection to the placenta.

That connection temporarily continues providing oxygen while the medical team works to secure the baby’s airway.

Jennifer and Angel attended weekly appointments as doctors monitored the tumor and carefully planned the delivery.

Their care team included fetal surgeons, pediatric surgeons, airway specialists, neonatologists, nurses and other professionals.

Each specialist had a specific role, and the family was guided through what could happen during and after the birth.

The goal was simple but critical: Isaac needed a safe way to breathe before his umbilical cord was cut.

More Than 65 Medical Professionals Gathered for His Birth

On December 6, 2023, when Jennifer was 35 weeks pregnant, the medical team assembled for Isaac’s delivery.

More than 65 clinicians and support staff worked across two operating rooms, ensuring that both mother and baby received the specialized care they needed.

As surgeons partially delivered Isaac, they maintained his placental circulation while another team carefully accessed and secured his airway.

The procedure progressed more quickly than anticipated. Doctors successfully stabilized Isaac and completed his delivery in almost half the time originally projected.

For Jennifer and Angel, it was the first major milestone in a journey that had begun with a frightening prenatal ultrasound.

Their little boy had made it safely through birth.

Major Surgery at Just Two Days Old

Isaac’s successful delivery was only the first stage of his treatment.

Two days later, surgeons performed another operation to remove the teratoma from his neck.

Afterward, Isaac remained in the neonatal intensive care unit while doctors monitored his breathing, feeding and recovery.

His parents had prepared themselves for the possibility of a prolonged hospital stay.

Instead, their son progressed more quickly than they had expected.

After approximately two weeks in intensive care, Isaac was eating and breathing independently and had become strong enough to go home.

The baby whose airway had been threatened before birth was finally leaving the hospital in his parents’ arms.

Eight Months Later, a Happy Little Boy Finds His Voice

In Boston Children’s Hospital’s August 2024 update, Isaac was eight months old and thriving.

He continued attending follow-up appointments so specialists could monitor for any signs of tumor regrowth and assess the development of his throat and vocal cords.

But at home, his parents were enjoying the everyday moments they had once feared might be uncertain.

Isaac was growing into a happy, energetic baby, and his mother noticed that he was beginning to make plenty of noise.

For Jennifer and Angel, hearing their little boy use his voice carried special meaning.

Before he was born, doctors had been concerned that the tumor on his neck could prevent him from taking his first independent breath.

Now, he was breathing, eating and discovering his voice as he grew.

His story is a reminder of how extraordinary medical preparation, family determination and specialized newborn care can change the beginning of a child’s life.

Source: Boston Children’s Hospital, “Beyond Expectations: Treating Isaac’s Teratoma Through an EXIT Procedure,” published August 6, 2024.