First birth of pregnant woman with brain death takes place in Sergipe | F5 News

The dedication and technical competence of the team at the Hospital de Urgências de Sergipe Governador João Alves Filho (Huse) guaranteed an unprecedented and historic feat for healthcare in Sergipe: saving the life of the baby of a pregnant woman with brain death. The case is considered rare in the world. In Brazil, there are reports of only five cases in the scientific literature.

The case began when young KLDS, 20 years old, approximately 22 weeks pregnant, was admitted to Huse on April 17, with a serious skull injury caused by a firearm.

Even with all the work of the multidisciplinary team and intensive monitoring to save the young woman’s life, the patient’s brain death protocol was closed in less than a week after hospitalization. After this finding, the hospital team began another challenging process to ensure the continuity of the pregnancy and save the baby’s life.

“When we noticed the pregnancy, we checked the fetal viability and made a joint effort by the entire team so that, in addition to maintaining the mother’s vital signs, we could maintain the pregnancy until the moment it was viable to deliver the baby. The patient arrived here at 22 weeks and left practically at 26, with just one day to go”, explained the coordinator of the unit’s critical axis, doctor José Edvaldo.

According to the professional, there are few cases in the world in which a brain-dead body managed to carry a pregnancy to the period that allowed fetal viability. “That was our biggest challenge. The mother’s brain already shows signs of brain death, proven by all the expected tests, but we guarantee fetal viability. This shows the quality of care that was given at the hospital because, in addition to fetal viability, we ensured that she did not have any organic dysfunction,” he added.

Childbirth
With delivery scheduled for Thursday (9), the patient presented changes in the ultrasound exams and the Huse medical team decided to bring forward the procedure to Wednesday, 8, after carrying out specific protocols to guarantee the safety of the mother and of the fetus.

With the support of the Mobile Emergency Care Service (Samu 192 Sergipe), the patient was transferred to the Nossa Senhora de Lourdes Maternity Hospital (MNSL), considered a reference for high-risk births. The child was born 26 weeks premature, via cesarean section and weighing 580 grams. Despite prematurity, there was no dysfunction.

“Every birth is an emotion, a renewal of life. The baby was born well, is stable and was taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The child was supported by the entire maternity team and we hope he remains healthy”, emphasized the pediatrician and neonatologist at MNSL, Flávia Batista.

Dedication

Huse’s intensive care doctor, João Manoel, followed the entire process from the pregnant woman’s arrival at the unit until her departure, carrying out exams and monitoring the situation. “As soon as the patient arrived, we were in a dilemma as to how best to proceed. But based on science, we are able to offer the best possible treatment,” she commented.

According to the Secretary of State for Health, Walter Pinheiro, the successful birth of the child was possible thanks to the efficiency of the entire State Health Network. “It was a joint effort that involved the Huse structure, Samu 192 Sergipe, the Organization of Organ Procurement and the maternity team so that, at this moment, we could witness a successful birth here at the maternity ward”, highlighted the secretary.

Organ donation

The case assisted by Huse is even rarer because, in addition to being a patient with closed brain death, it was possible to preserve organs thanks to the work carried out by the medical team, allowing the harvesting of organs destined for the states of Pernambuco and Ceará.

“We made the organs available to the National Transplant Center and the liver was accepted for Pernambuco. So, the Brazilian Air Force provided an aircraft to take this liver to Recife. As for the kidneys, after preparing the logistics, it will be possible to send the left kidney to Ceará and the right kidney also to Pernambuco. The corneas will be transplanted right here in Aracaju”, informed the coordinator of the Sergipe Organ Transplant Center, Benito Fernandez.