Boy with heart on outside of ribcage

[-:Undertaker:-]

A four-year-old Chinese boy born with a protruding heart has undergone five hours of surgery as doctors try to correct the defect.

http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2008/Nov/Week4/15161993.jpg


Zhang Weiyuan has Pentalogy of Cantrell, which means the heart does not have a sternum or muscles to protect it and is covered only by skin. It is so rare it occurs in around five in a million births.

After the operation, doctors at Shenjing Hospital at the Chinese Medical University said that Weiyuan would have to be in intensive care for three days before they could find out if the operation was a success. "We organized a team of doctors from different departments to do the surgery. It was a challenge for everyone," said chief consultant Dr Li Dongyu.

Poor kid, how weird is that though?

[GommeInc]

I've seen weirder. My second cousin Aiden, in America was born with his internal organs in his abdomen area on the outside. He's fine now though, it's a very simple operation (well, five of them) and he was in a good area with the best hospital. It's weird to hear of an external heart though :/

It looks like his heart is located right at the bottom of the rib cage!

[shizzle]

Wow, that's weird and made me feel sick. Hopefully he is alright.

[Yonder]

4 years old wouldn't they have noticed this when he was born.. imagine for four years the parents would have to literally watching him every single second, he could fall and pop his heart could of been damaged. Wonders of medical science.

[Chippiewill]

Poor child, he had a sheltered life of never tripping over :'(

[Mikey]

Awww, poor child =(

[Chippiewill]

Awww, poor child =(


Some may view this joke as cruel or demeaning:

But think about all the friends that he gained who thought it was cool...

[Wayne]

Woah, damn! That's kind of disturbing. Hope he's alright though.

[//Tom]

yeah its a bit scary id hate that lol

[<Nick>]

That looks like a potato :S

poor kid

[IceNineKills]

I watched a documentry on this but it was about someone else who was born with the same thing. He just wore a chest guard (special one obv) for his life which protected the heart from any contact.

[Wahey]

Wow, that'd be well awkward

[Shockwave.2CC]

Yikes
Poor child

[-:Undertaker:-]

Amazing that the boy is still alive, even rolling over in his sleep could kill him I presume?

[Pyroka]

*PUNCHES IN THE STOMACH*

Really though, if you did that would be the worst heartburn ever. Imodium plus wouldnt even help.

[Habboish]

Wow, Thats weird.


But medical science can fix it.

[Arch]

4 years old wouldn't they have noticed this when he was born.. imagine for four years the parents would have to literally watching him every single second, he could fall and pop his heart could of been damaged. Wonders of medical science.

i was thinking the same thing

but yeah sucks kinda weird though

[Fehm]

Aww feel sorry for him!

[user130523]

oo thats scary :|

hope everythings ok for him! :(

[DavidDaveDavid]

thats weird :S :(

[LoveToStack]

*PUNCHES IN THE STOMACH*

Really though, if you did that would be the worst heartburn ever. Imodium plus wouldnt even help.

Yeah you'd need Gaviscon for something that severe.

Ontopic; Pretty crazy, I wonder if it holds him back physically other than the obvious. Like if it still functions normally.

[Accipiter]

tbh that looks animated and looks wrong. he most live in a remote area if they didn't notice for 4 years :l