A Nigerian congenital cardiac surgeon, Dr. Ikenna Omeje, has led a team of medical specialists in successfully performing a complex and life-saving operation on Vanellope Hope Wilkins, a seven-year-old girl born with her heart outside her chest—a rare condition known as ectopia cordis.
Vanellope was first diagnosed with the condition while still in the womb.
She was delivered via Caesarean section at Glenfield Hospital in November 2017 and has since undergone years of close medical monitoring.
On April 16, 2025, a major surgical breakthrough was achieved when a reconstructed chest cavity was created to house her heart, giving her a new lease on life.
According to the Harborough Mail, the intricate surgery was carried out by a multidisciplinary team from the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre and Leicester Children’s Hospital.
Around 20 professionals were involved, including anaesthetists, paediatric and cardiothoracic surgeons, nurses, and other specialists.
The procedure also received support from Dr. Nagarajan Muthialu of Great Ormond Street Hospital.
To perform the operation, Vanellope was placed on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine, which temporarily took over her heart and lung functions.
This allowed the team to carefully separate the heart from the thin protective layer of skin and conduct a bilateral osteotomy—cutting and repositioning the ribs—to create a protective chest structure around her heart.
Dr. Omeje, who was part of the original medical team present at Vanellope’s birth, expressed his pride in the success of the operation. “This case is one of a kind. We used a combination of advanced techniques to achieve this result,” he said.
“It’s been a long road, but seeing her recovery and knowing we’ve given her a chance at life is incredibly fulfilling.”
Vanellope’s mother, Naomi, spoke emotionally about the ordeal. “Saying goodbye before the surgery was the hardest part. But when I saw the doctors after the operation, I could tell from their faces that it had gone well. I’m beyond grateful for what they’ve done. Vanellope is a daily inspiration—strong, resilient, and courageous.”
Medical experts describe ectopia cordis as an extremely rare condition, affecting approximately eight out of every one million births.
Most affected babies are either stillborn or die within a few days. While the exact cause remains unclear, researchers believe it may be linked to abnormal development during early pregnancy and genetic factors like missing or defective BMP2 genes.
The surgery marks a significant milestone not only in Vanellope’s life but also in the advancement of pediatric congenital heart surgery.