Health

Fetal Surgery Saves Unborn Baby From Tennis Ball-Sized Tumor Growing on Her Mouth

Rare Tumor Growing in Fetus Mouth Removed in First of Its Kind Surgery

Lyna Gonzalez in utero before the tumor was removed. (Photo via CBS Local)

Tammy Gonzalez described the news doctors delivered to her after an ultrasound as “the most horrible feeling you could ever imagine.“ Her unborn baby girl had a tumor ”the size of a tennis ball” growing on her mouth.

According to Miami CBS Local, Gonzalez was told her baby had little chance of survival, given the number of surgeries she would need to receive after birth.

In May 2010, Gonzalez turned to University of Miami/Jackson Memorial fetal surgeon Ruben Quintero. Today, according to CBS, Gonzalez has a normal 20-month-old thanks to a surgery that went through her own stomach and operated on baby Lyna while still in utero.

“This was an opportunity to expand the field we have developed, to treat birth defects in utero,” Quinero said to CBS.

Although fetal surgeries in general are not entirely new, they are rare and this surgery tackling the tumor was the first of its kind.

Watch ABC’s report, below:
Rare Tumor Growing in Fetus Mouth Removed in First of Its Kind Surgeryvideo platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player
This research was recently published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. According to the paper’s abstract, only 9 percent of tumors are like that Lyna had but they are frequently associated with “fetal demise.” With the success of this surgery, physicians believe it could be an acceptable treatment to improve the quality of life for the unborn child.

Comments (34)

  • Ghandi was a Republican
    Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:07pm

    Which is it? At what point are we calling it a baby again?

    Report Post » Ghandi was a Republican  
  • GenOptimus
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:43pm

    Everyone please notice that Liberals are Cowards. They know they don’t stand a chance with these ultrasounds up. Where are you?!!! you buch of baby butchers. You’re too scared to face the truth!!!

    Report Post »  
  • MRMANN
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 5:41pm

    A fetus is a baby baby.

    Report Post »  
  • blackyb
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:33pm

    Sometimes a twin tries to develop and grows from the healthier twin. Wonder if this is likely?

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • The Giver
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:11pm

    The medical advances have made this possible. It’s also made it quite clear that the abortion issue is not one of religion, but of actual science. You stop a beating heart… you have committed murder.
    BTW, I’m sure the surgery was NOT through the stomach. It was through the abdomen and into the uterus. The baby is not in the stomach : ) Obama Care will hopefully be declared unconstitutional.

    Report Post » The Giver  
  • blackyb
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 3:08pm

    Could that have been another fetus twin?

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • rickc34
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:34pm

    Thank You Lord for giving the knowledge required to perform these kinds of procedures..Thank You Lord for this healthy little girl.

    Report Post »  
  • TEARS FOR AMERICA
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 2:19pm

    My sister-in-law, who is on Medicare, was told when she went for her physical that her next one would be in 2 years…she said whoa, wait a minute…2 years? They said, yea, that’s right…with Obamacare Medicare patients will only get a physical every two years and a pap smear the same…my sister-in-law, who still works, said well, sign me up for a year because I have back-up insurance coverage…here we go, we sure pray SCOTUS throws this junk congressmen didn’t read in the garbage. The American people are being lied to…

    Report Post » TEARS FOR AMERICA  
  • Thats_right
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 12:47pm

    Im surprised the Drs didnt talk her into abortion.

    Report Post »  
  • progressiveslayer
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:08am

    I bet that surgery was pretty expensive and the parents and baby are lucky with their timing because with the new and improved health care law inflicted on us by our Marxist POS president the baby would have been allowed to die.

    You hear people complaining about insurance companies rejecting claims,wait until the government gets in there,they’ll show the few remaining insurance companies how to reject claims the right way,you’ll be lucky to get any care at all.Hopefully SCOTUS will strike down the abomination of a law this week.

    Report Post » progressiveslayer  
    • wingedwolf
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:44am

      You are so right. Medicare denies far more claims every year than all the private insurance companies combined.

      Report Post » wingedwolf  
  • mikenleeds
    Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:15am

    that GOD for the operation and the good doctors and thanks GOD your child got saved before obamacare kicks in ..

    Report Post » mikenleeds  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 11:13pm


    Thank God ObamaCare had not been implemented yet, or this precious baby would have been disposed of.

    Folks like a good story with a happy ending. Renews our faith in mankind.

    Report Post »  
  • ColoradoCassie
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 11:06pm

    This is what “Health Care” is all about. We already have great health care. Obama can take his so called health care and shove it!

    Report Post » ColoradoCassie  
  • garbagecanlogic
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 10:02pm

    Under obamacare, this fetus would hv been allowed to die because it was not beneficial to the nation and would not be a productive citizen.

    Praise Be To Obama. Psalm 109:8

    The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
    The U.N. Out Of The U.S.

    Report Post »  
  • JACKTHETOAD
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 9:04pm

    Our miracles pale in comparison to His.

    Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
    • biohazard23
      Posted on June 23, 2012 at 10:28pm

      Truer words have rarely been spoken. God bless this family and the doctor who gave this baby a chance at life. :)

      Report Post » biohazard23  
  • RockinChuck
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 9:01pm

    in a world going to Hell in a hand basket, this is truly good news. How blessed we are to be here

    Report Post » RockinChuck  
    • Cesium
      Posted on June 23, 2012 at 9:20pm

      “Lets see,, First I’ll put the baby in there, then I’ll throw in a tumor. I‘ve been pull’n that ole classic since the beginning of primates”-God

      Report Post »  
  • Hawaii_Conservative
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 8:41pm

    That’s fantastic and sorry in advance for the rant:

    I take it, PLANNED PARENTHOOD wasn’t involved. I was a miracle infant and I have been an industrious person ( no government checks) for almost 40 years. Thanks to loving parents, skilled surgeons, and God (can I say that here). PLANNED PARENTHOOD, you would have advised my parents to abort me but they would have put you in your place so go take a hike and save the taxpayers some money.

    Report Post » Hawaii_Conservative  
    • momrules
      Posted on June 23, 2012 at 9:03pm

      Hawaii……….Good for you and blessings on all involved in your miracle. And please mention God, His name is welcomed on the Blaze and by the majority of all that post here.

      Report Post »  
    • GenOptimus
      Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:55pm

      You call that a rant? Stick around, ya ain‘t seen noth’in yet when comes to ranting. Now where are those liberal baby butchers? I want to show you some real ranting. Oh I forgot, they’re cowards in the face of even one ultrasound because it shows them up for the murderers they are.

      Report Post »  
  • TJexcite
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 8:39pm

    Lets hope this story gets legs and makes it all the way to WH race.

    One side would just have aborted over fixing. Other side do not really care as at least she is alive but they are the evil ones or something like that. It is “pro-science” to remove people who have or may have problems to semi-quote someone on TV.

    Report Post » TJexcite  
  • momrules
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 8:14pm

    Yep, that is a baby in that uterus. Not a clump of cells, not an inconvenience, not a mistake, a BABY of the human variety.

    I’m glad this little one had a loving mother, a skilled surgeon and a chance to have a life.

    Report Post »  
  • GoodOldUsa
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 8:10pm

    Wonderful news about Baby Lyna. Great advancement in medical treatment.

    Report Post » GoodOldUsa  
  • CatB
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 8:08pm

    It is amazing what they can see with ultra sound and 3-D imaging today .. when I had my son we were having a lot of complications and they had this “new thing” called ultra-sound … they had the machine at my hospital .. but a doctor had to come from another city who was trained to use it … it was very hard to see anything then even with the HUGE machine .. God bless all who have made things like this possible.

    Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on June 23, 2012 at 8:21pm

      True, and happy to hear all went well in the end for you and your son.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • CatB
      Posted on June 23, 2012 at 8:33pm

      Thanks SNOW …..

      Report Post »  
    • MrButcher
      Posted on June 23, 2012 at 9:10pm

      Just to pile on here with the ultrasound recollections.

      I went from being pro-choice to being pro-life on Dec. 8, 2009. I’ll never forget it.

      That was the day when I went with my wife to have an ultrasound done on our son at 8 weeks gestation.

      I clearly saw his arms and legs kicking about as he moved around, no bigger than a kidney bean. But it was no doubting it: this wasn’t a “clump of cells” this WAS A PERSON waiting and “asking to be born” as Leonard Cohen sings in “Dance Me to the End of Love.”

      Report Post » MrButcher  
  • GoodOldUsa
    Posted on June 23, 2012 at 8:06pm

    Wonderful news about Baby Lyna and the advancement of medical treatment.

    Report Post » GoodOldUsa  

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