Little Arthur defies the odds
Tuesday 13th April 2010, 8:00PM BST.
Arthur Howells in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
A critically ill new-born baby has survived against all odds after a dramatic dash by helicopter from a Shropshire village to Birmingham Children’s Hospital for life-saving heart surgery.
Little Arthur Howells suffered increasing breathing problems when he was just 10 days old. Just two weeks ago, Arthur turned blue and his frantic mother Beth, 31, took him to the nearby GP surgery in Alveley, near Bridgnorth, for help.
Immediately the Midlands Air Ambulance was summoned and the baby was airlifted to the specialist children’s unit.
Just 11 minutes later Arthur was being examined by a top heart specialist who revealed that the baby, now a month old, was suffering from a conditions known as cyanotic heart defect, and Transposition of the Great Arteries or TGA.
This meant that his heart was wrongly plumbed with the main arteries transposed so almost no oxygen was being carried around his body. He needed urgent treatment.
Arthur then underwent intricate surgery on his heart, which is little bigger than a walnut.
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i hope you get better soon little one, keep strong and keep fighting, my prays and strength go his family x
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Well done to the Midlands Air Ambulance also, what would we do without this fantastic service our county so luckily has. I wonder if this tot would have made it to birmingham if the helicopter was not available. Top marks !!
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