Baby born with heart outside of body finally leaves hospital

Five-week-old Audrina Cardenas, born with her heart on the outside of her body, survived after doctors at a Texas hospital performed a life-saving surgery. (Texas Children’s Hospital)

Ashley Cardenas (mom) prepares baby Audrina to leave Texas Children's Hospital. Here she is seen putting on Audrina’s heart shield that she will wear moving forward to protect her heart as she grows. In a few years, Audrina will have surgery to place a more permanent protective shield inside her chest wall. (Texas Children's Hospital)

A baby girl who was born with her heart on the outside of her body, was finally able to leave the hospital after more than four months, the Houston Chronicle said.

Audrina Cardenas was discharged Wednesday from the Texas Children’s Hospital after doctors checked out her protective heart shield and deemed her ready to go.

Audrina, who was born Oct. 15 of last year with ectopia cordis, had to undergo a six-hour open heart surgery at 1-day-old, so that doctors could “fashion” a cavity, fit the heart and then take skin from other parts of her body to cover it.

About eight in 1 million babies are born with this rare, but life-threatening condition, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Ashley Cardenas, Audrina’s mother, discovered her baby’s condition during her second trimester during an ultrasound. Audrina will join her twin siblings at home.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/baby-born-with-heart-outside-of-body-finally-leaves-hospital