The medical team at Kyiv's "Okhmatdyt" achieved an incredible feat by saving 8-month-old Katya, who was suffering from a unique and complex urological issue – the absence of the anterior abdominal wall and bladder wall.

During a single surgery, the doctors performed six different procedures, as reported on the hospital's official page.

Two weeks before delivery, the baby's mother, Lyudmila from Sumy region, learned about her child's developmental defect. Initially, doctors suspected an umbilical hernia, but it turned out that the issue was far more complicated after birth.

"The mother didn’t even get to hold her daughter – she was immediately taken for examination. The results revealed that the girl was missing the anterior abdominal wall and bladder wall, with an open bladder. This is an extremely rare and complicated pathology requiring urgent surgical intervention," the "Okhmatdyt" team stated.

Initially, little Katya was placed in the newborn intensive care unit and later spent a month in the surgical department, where doctors helped her gain weight and establish a feeding routine.

Afterward, she was transferred to the urology department, where preparations for the crucial surgery began.

"The danger of this pathology is that while the bladder can be formed, the critical factor is whether it will function properly. Often, such children have a bladder that is inverted and accompanies reflux. Typically, we resolve this issue by transplanting the ureters during bladder formation."

However, in Katya's case, the bladder was small but very thick and immobile, making it a real challenge to create a proper reservoir. So, we decided to divide the treatment stages, – explained pediatric urologist Alina Puzko.

When the girl turned six months old, doctors began preparing her for surgery. However, a new problem arose: urine was leaking onto the abdominal wall, causing severe inflammation.

Doctors say that operating on Katya in this condition was risky, as it could threaten the functionality of the newly formed bladder.

At 8 months old, the urology team performed a complex surgery, during which they accomplished six tasks simultaneously:

• formed the bladder, its neck, and urethra;
• reconstructed the navel;
• performed abdominal wall plastic surgery;
• joined the pelvic bones.

Previously, such surgeries could last up to six hours, but thanks to the coordinated efforts of the surgeons, the duration was cut in half. This significantly reduced risks and eased the child's recovery from anesthesia.

Currently, the medical team is closely monitoring the growth and functionality of the bladder.

Lyudmila, the mother of the little patient, expresses her hope that she will soon be able to return home with her daughter, healthy and happy.