Shelagh Fogarty 1pm - 4pm
Baby boy with congenital heart disease airlifted to Italy after NHS hospital says he is too sick for surgery
26 April 2024, 07:22
A one-month old baby has been flown to Italy for surgery after the NHS said they couldn't treat him.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The unidentified boy, whose UK-based parents are said to be Italian and Nigerian, suffers from a congenital heart condition.
Doctors at a Bristol hospital told his parents they could not operate on him, because he was too unwell.
His parents contacted Italian authorities and the experienced lawyer Simone Pillon, to get him treated elsewhere.
Italian authorities said they would help and following a High Court ruling, the baby was allowed to be transferred.
Read more: Critically ill baby Indi Gregory has life-support withdrawn after series of legal battles
Un grande grazie da parte della famiglia a tutti coloro che si son prodigati per il trasferimento del piccolo D. M. di neppure un mese dal Regno Unito a Roma. Ora preghiamo che il delicato intervento chirurgico vada per il meglio. 🙏
— Simone Pillon (@SimoPillon) April 24, 2024
Gli italiani sono fatti così: amano la vita... pic.twitter.com/4N7VtML1WQ
Italy sent a military aircraft with a full medical team to the UK, and the baby was flown away.
He underwent surgery this week at the Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, and is now recovering. Italian doctors said he is "fighting" and "wants to live".
Mr Pillon said: "The operation was available in the UK, but the doctors decided that, following the protocols of the UK, the baby was not fit for the operation. They decided that he was too ill.
“The doctors in the Vatican hospital examined the papers and decided they could do it.
“The British doctors were wonderful because they allowed the transfer.
‘Beautiful warrior’ Indi Gregory’s funeral held in Nottingham
“The baby was operated on and it’s going well and the doctors said that he wants to live and that he’s fighting.
“I believe that he will have another operation as soon as possible."
A spokesperson for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust said: "We worked with Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital to support the safe transfer of a newborn patient to Rome.
"Due to patient confidentiality, it would not be appropriate to go into specific details regarding a patient's care."
Mr Pillon was also involved in the unsuccessful legal struggle to take baby Indi Gregory from Nottingham to Italy.
Indi, who was born in February, suffered from mitochondrial disease - a genetic condition that saps energy.
Her parents lost multiple fights in court to prevent the withdrawal of her treatment after doctors said it would be in her best interests.
Doctors argued that treating Indi was futile, and she was dying and in pain.
They were also denied the chance to move Indi to a hospital in Rome after she was offered Italian citizenship and treatment when judges rules it would not be in her best interest.
Indi died in her mother's arms in November.