Premature Aberdeen baby goes home after pioneering heart surgery

A baby girl born extremely prematurely has been allowed home after becoming the first in Scotland to undergo pioneering keyhole heart surgery. Aribella Duncan weighed just 1.1lbs (0.5kg) when she was born after only 23 weeks at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital last July. She was taken to Glasgow's Royal Children's Hospital for specialist treatment and later became the first baby in Scotland to undergo a new operation to insert a tiny device to close a vital blood vessel in her heart. She was transferred to Aberdeen's Royal Children's Hospital in January for continued treatment and now - aged seven months and weighing 8lbs (3.6kg) - she has been able to go home with her family. Soon after she was born, doctors noticed Aribella had Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), a condition where a vital blood vessel fails to close naturally after birth, most commonly seen in very premature babies. It places significant strain on the heart and lungs, making breathing, growth and recovery much more difficult. Once she was strong enough for transfer, Aribella was moved to the Scottish Paediatric Cardiac Service at Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) for specialised treatment. Following attempts to