Doctors had little hope for a fetus with a fatal lung condition, but at his parents' urging, they performed an unprecedentedly early operation during which they partially removed him from the womb.

The procedure saved the child's life — baby Cassian was born in August 2025 and is still doing well. The doctors hope the same approach will save others in the future.

The diagnosis came during a second-trimester ultrasound at Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies in Florida. The scan revealed overinflated lungs and a compressed heart — signs of a dangerous condition called congenital high airway obstruction syndrome ( CHAOS ).

A risky strategy

A scope revealed that the blockage in Cassian's widepipe was a 0.2-inch-thick (5 millimeters) membrane, which was too large to puncture using a minimally invasive laser probe.

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Doctors have a method for safely delivering babies with these types of airway obstructions.…