Cancer drug saved my premature son's sight; NEWCURE FOR EARLY TOTS.Byline: BY STEPHEN WHITE A BABY going blind after being born 15 weeks premature has had his sight saved by pioneering eye injections. Little Ethan Gorry's vision was being ravaged by retina failure because he arrived so early but now he can see, thanks to a drug normally used to help cancer patients. Ethan was born last May weighing just 1lb 9oz and his twin sister Ava was just an ounce heavier after mum Karen had IVF IVF in vitro fertilization. IVF abbr. in vitro fertilization IVF 1 In vitro fertilization, see there 2. Intravascular fluid treatment. Like all premature babies they were screened for a sight-threatening condition known as retinopathy of prematurity retinopathy of prematurity n. Abnormal replacement of the sensory retina by fibrous tissue and blood vessels, occurring mainly in premature infants who are placed in a high-oxygen environment. and both had bad cases. Ava was cured with conventional laser treatment but it failed to work on Ethan, who seemed almost certain to go blind. But Liverpool Women's Hospital Liverpool Women's Hospital is NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, England. The Trust uses the Single Transferable Vote voting system to elect its Members' Council.[1] References 1. ^ NHS Foundation Trusts using STV - STV Action. consultant opthalmologist David Clark decided to use Avastin, usually injected to stop tumour growth. It saved Ethan's sight by preventing abnormal blood vessel blood vessel n. An elastic tubular channel, such as an artery, a vein, a sinus, or a capillary, through which the blood circulates. blood vessel(s), n the network of muscular tubes that carry blood. growth in the back of his eyes. Karen, 32, of Widnes, said: "First they saved our babies' lives and now Mr Clarke has saved Ethan's sight. We can't thank the hospital enough for everything they've done." Married Karen, who has raised pounds 800 for the hospital's neonatal unit, added: "When the twins were first born we were told they had only a 50 per cent chance of survival because they were so premature. "To have one baby would have meant everything to us. We're over the moon to have two." "We were all quite scared when they mentioned the injection into Ethan's eyes but we trusted the team and their judgement". A hospital spokesman said: "Babies' eyes normally develop throughout the 40 weeks of pregnancy. "The retina is not fully supplied with blood vessels until the baby is full term so when babies are born early, problems may arise." The use of Avastin to treat the condition was developed by specialists in Boston, USA. Hospital saved our babies' lives and then saved Ethan's sight MUMOF PREMATURE TWINS KAREN GORRY CAPTION(S): VISION OF JOY IVF mum Karen with little patient Ethan |
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