A baby born with a tumor twice her size has been dubbed a "miracle" after a team of 25 surgeons worked around the clock to remove it.
Baby Saylor Thomson was born three months premature at the Mater Mother's Hospital in Brisbane, Australia - weighing just over two pounds, with a four-pound tumor growing near her tailbone, News.com.au reported.
Saylor's tumor was discovered during her mother Rachel's 20-week scan, per The Courier Mail. Later, she was told that baby Saylor would only have a 25-40% chance of survival.
Within minutes after her birth, 25 surgeons began a six-hour operation to remove the growth - called a sacrococcygeal teratoma - from her tailbone (or coccyx). The tumor also extended into her pelvis and abdomen.
This is a condition that the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) estimates affects 1 in 35,000 - 40,000 live births.
Warning - Some readers may find the following graphic image upsetting:The tumor itself is covered with skin, but may be covered by thin tissue called a membrane. The CHOP website also explains the complications arising from the condition for both the fetus and the mother, detailing: "In severe cases, the tumor 'steals' blood from fetal circulation, causing the heart to work extra hard and making cardiac failure possible."
"For the mother, there is the risk of 'maternal mirror syndrome' in which the mom's condition parallels that of the sick fetus," the article adds.
Professor Saliesh Kumar, who delivered Saylor, revealed that although medical experts are still unsure as to why the tumor grows, but said that it is four-times more likely to occur in female infants.
Kumar also revealed that, tragically, most babies with the condition do not survive the pregnancy - with a likely cause of death often being heart failure.
Mom Rachel recalled how she "cried hysterically" after surgeons and a social worker informed her that Saylor had little chance at survival.
Nevertheless, she now describes being able to hold her "little fighter" in her arms as something very special.
Mater neurologist Richard Mausling also spoke about how he believes Saylor is lucky to be alive - even more so considering that Saylor was born at just 28 weeks. Mausling also revealed that baby Saylor's teratoma was the biggest he had ever seen.
One thing's for sure - this story is an incredible reminder of just how amazing our doctors and nurses truly are!
