In a rare and extraordinary medical feat, a baby in the UK was "born twice." Lucy Isaac, a teacher from Oxford, was 20 weeks pregnant when she underwent a groundbreaking 5-hour operation to remove ovarian cancer.
During the surgery, doctors temporarily removed her womb, which contained her unborn son, Rafferty. After the cancerous cells were successfully treated, Rafferty was carefully placed back into the womb and was later delivered at full term in late January, weighing 6lb 5oz, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Several weeks after the procedure, Lucy and Rafferty visited the John Radcliffe Hospital to express their gratitude to Dr. Soleymani Majd, the lead surgeon. Dr. Majd described the experience as rare and deeply emotional, as he felt a personal connection to Rafferty after the extraordinary procedure.
The story began when Lucy, 32, was unexpectedly diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 12 weeks pregnant, after a routine ultrasound revealed the shocking news. The doctors at the John Radcliffe Hospital advised that delaying treatment until after the birth of her child could allow the cancer to spread, endangering her life.
However, because of her advanced pregnancy, standard keyhole surgery was not a viable option. As a result, the medical team began exploring alternative methods to treat the cancer while protecting her unborn child.
A highly specialised and complex procedure was proposed by Dr. Soleymani Majd and his team. The plan was to remove the cancerous cells without harming the baby, keeping Rafferty safely in the womb throughout the surgery.
This high-risk operation, which had only been performed a few times globally, involved temporarily removing Lucy's womb, with her son still inside, to access and treat the cancer. Despite the risks, Lucy and her husband, Adam, placed their trust in the medical team and proceeded with the surgery in October 2023.
The operation was Dr. Majd’s most complex case due to the advanced stage of Lucy's tumors. However, the procedure was a success, and Rafferty was born safely at full term in January. The birth was especially emotional for the family, as it followed a particularly difficult year, with Adam undergoing a kidney transplant in 2022.
Adam expressed the overwhelming relief and joy of holding Rafferty in his arms for the first time: "To finally hold Rafferty in our arms after everything we have been through was the most amazing moment."
The surgery was a coordinated effort of 15 medical professionals, with Dr. Majd at the helm. The team’s primary goal was to remove the cancerous tissue while ensuring Rafferty’s safety. During the operation, Lucy’s womb was carefully removed and kept connected to vital blood vessels and tissues to maintain a steady supply of nutrients and oxygen to Rafferty.
The womb was wrapped in a warm saline pack to regulate its temperature and prevent any potential harm to the baby. Every 20 minutes, the pack was replaced to ensure that Rafferty’s temperature remained stable. A tumor sample was taken for examination, revealing a grade two cancer.
After successfully removing the cancerous tissue, the womb was gently returned to its original position, and Lucy’s abdomen was sutured back up.
The womb remained outside Lucy's body for about two hours, a much longer duration than any of Dr. Majd’s previous surgeries. Lucy, who felt incredibly fortunate to have been diagnosed and treated despite having no symptoms, emphasised her gratitude.
Ovarian cancer affects approximately 7,000 women in the UK each year, with two-thirds of cases diagnosed too late for effective treatment. Tragically, over 4,000 women die from the disease annually.
Lucy and Rafferty’s journey serves as a remarkable testament to the advances in medical science and the extraordinary dedication of the healthcare professionals who made this miracle possible.
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