Baby boy with congenital heart disease airlifted to Italy after NHS hospital says he is too sick for surgery

26 April 2024, 07:22

A one-month old baby has been flown to Italy for surgery after the NHS said they couldn't treat him.

The unidentified boy, whose UK-based parents are said to be Italian and Nigerian, suffers from a congenital heart condition.

Doctors at a Bristol hospital told his parents they could not operate on him, because he was too unwell.

His parents contacted Italian authorities and the experienced lawyer Simone Pillon, to get him treated elsewhere.

Italian authorities said they would help and following a High Court ruling, the baby was allowed to be transferred.

Read more: Baby Indi Gregory dies in mother's arms after family loses battle to keep her life support going

Read more: Critically ill baby Indi Gregory has life-support withdrawn after series of legal battles

Italy sent a military aircraft with a full medical team to the UK, and the baby was flown away.

He underwent surgery this week at the Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, and is now recovering. Italian doctors said he is "fighting" and "wants to live".

Mr Pillon said: "The operation was available in the UK, but the doctors decided that, following the protocols of the UK, the baby was not fit for the operation. They decided that he was too ill.

“The doctors in the Vatican hospital examined the papers and decided they could do it.

“The British doctors were wonderful because they allowed the transfer.

‘Beautiful warrior’ Indi Gregory’s funeral held in Nottingham

“The baby was operated on and it’s going well and the doctors said that he wants to live and that he’s fighting.

“I believe that he will have another operation as soon as possible."

A spokesperson for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust said: "We worked with Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital to support the safe transfer of a newborn patient to Rome.

"Due to patient confidentiality, it would not be appropriate to go into specific details regarding a patient's care."

Mr Pillon was also involved in the unsuccessful legal struggle to take baby Indi Gregory from Nottingham to Italy.

Indi, who was born in February, suffered from mitochondrial disease - a genetic condition that saps energy.

Her parents lost multiple fights in court to prevent the withdrawal of her treatment after doctors said it would be in her best interests.

Doctors argued that treating Indi was futile, and she was dying and in pain.

They were also denied the chance to move Indi to a hospital in Rome after she was offered Italian citizenship and treatment when judges rules it would not be in her best interest.

Indi died in her mother's arms in November.