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Viagra brings baby back from the brink
A premature baby on the brink of death has made a "miraculous recovery" after being given the little blue sex pill Viagra.
The parents of Lewis Goodfellow, born at just 24 weeks, admit they had started making funeral plans as the baby lay critically ill in hospital but he is now at home with the couple after being given the anti-impotence drug.
Proud parents Jade Goodfellow and John Barclay, from Walker, Newcastle, credited the wonder drug for saving the baby's life.
Jade's pregnancy had been going smoothly until she unexpectedly went into labour at just 24 weeks. Babies born about 23 weeks and before do not usually survive.
He was born at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary on August 16 last year weighing just 1lb 8oz.
At barely more than a day old Lewis's lung collapsed and then doctors discovered a duct in his heart had not closed up meaning blood was not being pumped around his body properly.
At three weeks old, surgeons stitched the duct with a silk thread.
But medics became increasingly worried about the youngster's lungs which, in spite of being given maximum supplies of oxygen, were still struggling to get it into his blood supply.
At that point they tried Viagra and Lewis's stricken lung began to improve gradually. By November doctors were able to carry out laser surgery on his eyes.
Lewis is one of the first babies to be given the pill by medics at the Royal Victoria Infirmary's special care baby unit in Newcastle.
Sildenafil, also known under the trade name of Viagra, is being used for very premature babies but only after doctors have tried all other treatment options and consulted the baby's family.
The drug works by opening up some of the small blood vessels in lungs which are not working properly to help carry oxygen around the body with the blood.
Royal Victoria Infirmary consultant neonatologist Alan Fenton said: "Using Sildenafil is relatively unusual. It is a fairly new form of treatment which we've been using on the unit for around a year.
"It has been used successfully in full-term babies but it is unclear whether it works as well in very premature babies. So far we've used it in around six." The baby is now at home.
Teenage mother sales assistant Jade, 17, who lives with lifeguard John, said: "He really is a miracle baby and we decided we would never give up hope until he had taken his last breath.
"Although he needs 24-hour oxygen he is doing really well."
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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