Today I went in for a fetal MRI. For the first time since his original diagnosis, just over a month ago now, we got good news!
The MRI today showed that there was meconium in his rectum. That means 2 things.
1. He has a rectum! This couldn't be seen on the ultrasound
2. The poop got there somehow! This means that his small bowel is attached to the rectum somehow. It is not fully showing at this point, but the doctor today diagnosed it as a microcolon. It is not nearly what a colon (also called large intestine or large bowel) should be but it seems there is a connection there.
We are not sure exactly how good of news this is, but we are certain that it is good news. After all that time and talking through so many possibilities with the surgeon, this one possibility did not come up. Currently, we have no idea what this means for future surgeries or his over all diagnosis.
The doctor today also believes he has meconium peritonitis. This is a tear or perforation in his bowel and what would be causing his ascites. This is one sign of having cystic fibrosis so we will probably be testing for that in the near future. He does not have any other indicators of cystic fibrosis at this time, so the doctor indicated that is more to rule it out. Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disorder, so Matt and I would both have to be carriers for him to have it. They will test me first and if I am a carrier then Matt will be tested.
This also means that he most likely has meconium in the fluid that is in his abdomen. The doctors were already aware of this possibility, so they will just continue to watch for stress it may cause on his organs. This can also be harmful once he is out of his current sterile environment, so they will address it when he is born.
There were also several other things that were sort of a mystery about his case, which is what we have grown accustom to. Lot of comments like "usually when we see this ______ also happens, but he is not showing any signs of that".
The other great news is that his brain, lungs, and all other organs still look perfectly on track for his gestational age.
Next up: Another visit with the perinatal specialist and first appointment with our new ob next week.
It's incredible all that can be noted from an MRI. And I'm so glad that the doctors could share some good news with you and Matt. Obviously there's still a lot of unknowns at this point that will be answered in time. Sending my love and prayers your way.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am constantly in awe of the advances the medical world continues to make. Wow. What a blessing it is for your littlest man and your whole family that the docs are able to answer so many questions already...and prepare to answer many more come delivery. I'm so glad you guys got some good news! Remember what this goodness feels like and use it for fuel!
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