Our Patients:

Billy Naliborski

FCI-019_revised_crop

“We will forever hold a special place for the St. Louis Fetal Care Institute at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. Without them, we wouldn’t have our son,” said Julie, Billy’s mother.

When the Naliborski’s went for their 18th week ultrasound the doctors found out there was a cystic, or solid, mass of nonfunctioning tissue on Billy’s left lung. The majority of these cases have a good outcome, however complications developed for Billy. The mass had displaced the heart from its normal position and also had caused the development of excess fluid in the chest cavity.

After consulting with the doctors at the St. Louis Fetal Care Institute at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon it was determined that an in utero surgery at 29 weeks—the first of its kind in the United States and the fifth in the world—was needed. To the Naliborski’s relief, the surgery was successful and Billy was born without complications. Children, Julie said, “are a gift. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a healthy child. … You need a place like the the Fetal Care Institute of Cardinal Glennon to help you.”

Billy required a third surgery to remove the remaining mass six months after he was born. Today, he is a quiet but observant little guy with bright eyes. “It’s truly amazing what they do, truly amazing,” Julie said.

Click HERE to learn more about the St. Louis Fetal Care Institute.

Ben, Julie & Billy Naliborski with Dr. Emanuel Vlastos.