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Episode details

Radio Leicester,2 mins

Surgery: Born with her heart outside her chest

Available for over a year

Vanellope Hope Wilkins made medical history when she was born with her heart outside of her body in 2017. She was described by experts as "one of a kind". Vanellope had three operations to place her heart back in her chest due to an extremely rare condition called ectopia cordis. The hospital where she was born - Glenfield Hospital in Leicester - says it knows of no other case in the UK where the baby has survived. Now seven years old, Vanellope has undergone ground-breaking surgery to reconstruct a protective cage around her heart - using her ribs. The Âé¶¹Éç was given exclusive access into theatre, when the operation took place at the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre, based at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. Her mum spoke to Ady Dayman afterwards.

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