Groundbreaking operation to save life of baby born at 23 weeks

A baby is thought to be youngest patient in the world to survive major abdominal surgery after being born at 23 weeks.

Abiageal Peters was born four months' early at St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey last October after mum Louise, 32, went into premature labour.

Abiageal was transferred to the neonatal unit at St George's Hospital in south London, where doctors performed surgery on her at six days old.

The little girl, who weighed just 1.3lbs, fought against the odds and managed to survive the operation to correct a severe condition of the gut called perforated necrotising enterocolitis.

The condition most often affects premature babies and occurs when intestinal tissue becomes damaged and begins to die.

Abiageal had a ruptured intestine in three places, but doctors managed to save her despite a huge risk she would die.

The tiny baby is now at home near Esher after celebrating her original due date on February 19.

Mrs Peters, an analyst at Investec bank, and husband David, 43, a director at Aecom in London, have another daughter, Tara, two.

Mrs Peters said: "We agreed to the operation, despite the risks associated with it, as we knew she wouldn't survive without it.

"After she'd gone into theatre, Dave and I sat in a room for what was probably the longest three hours of our lives, waiting for the surgical team to tell us the outcome.

"When the door opened and one of the surgeons came into the room, we just looked at his face without hearing the words and we knew - she was ok. He was smiling."

The couple are baffled as to why Abiageal was born prematurely as both Mrs Peters' pregnancies had progressed with no problems.

The couple had been able to spend a brief amount of time with Abiageal at St Peter's after she was born and put on life support.