Baby with 'back to front heart' stuns doctors by making miracle recovery

A miracle newborn given a tiny chance of survival after being born with a 'back to front heart' has amazed medics after the organ healed by itself.

Brave Oscar Tasker was born with a rare condition where some of his main arteries are the wrong way round, starving his body of oxygen.

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The alb 9oz newborn was so fragile his mother Lois was told not to hold him, as the slightest touch could have triggered a fatal heart attack.

The youngster was just 15 weeks old when he underwent two emergency seven-hour operations within 24 hours to correct his one-in-a-hundred condition.

Oscar was given little chance of survival, however, when he suffered a cardiac arrest and the left side of his heart effectively died.

He was rushed to hospital and was on the transplant list for a life-saving organ donation for 100 days.

But miraculously, doctors told Oscar's parents the tot's heart had made an almost full recovery and he was fit enough to come home.

His heart had been supported by a 'Berlin Heart' machine which acts as a bridging device while he waited for a transplant - but medics were still stunned that his fragile organ managed to recover of its own accord.

Thrilled mum Lois, 28, from Radford, Coventry, said: 'I was a bit sceptical at first. I didn't quite believe it and still can't get my head round it, the fact that he's much better.

'I can't wait to bring him home. The time he had on the heart machine may have calmed his heart, that is the only explanation I can think of but I genuinely think it's a miracle.

'All we were looking for is some improvement and hope he can get better and thankfully that is what he has.

'The doctors made a decision and told us he was off the transplant list last Wednesday. I didn't believe it, I asked them to tell me again, I questioned it at first because I did not expect to hear it, it was a huge relief.

'Most babies would have an arterial switch operation and go home two weeks later but Oscar's coronary artery got damaged and he had a massive heart attack which killed the left side of his heart.

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'It turned into heart failure and nothing could be done except for a new heart.

'Now, he is not in intensive care we can hold him, have him out when we like, we dress him, bath him, all the things people take for granted.

'His personality is shining through, he can be a bit grumpy sometimes but that is understandable but on a good day he just smiles and it is amazing to see.'

Dr Richard Kirk, consultant paediatric cardiologist in charge of Oscar's care, believes time on the artificial 'Berlin Heart' gave the baby's own organ time to recover.

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He said: 'Someone up above must have been smiling down on Oscar.

'We are delighted but still have to be little bit cautious. He's not out of the woods.

'We just have to hope he continues with his improvements.'