Little Miracle: Baby Survives Exencephaly, Undergoes First-Of-Its-Kind Surgery

If miracle had a name, it would be Lucas Santa Maria.

The now 7-month-old baby defied all odds despite doctors giving him only a few hours to live. His mother, Maria, was devastated at the news. However, he remained strong, and chose to be with her son rather than have him aborted.

Lucas' extraordinary life became a beacon of hope as he became the first person to survive exencephaly, a rare condition wherein a child's skull is not full developed.

KDVR, who touched on the baby's story, explained that a certain part of a baby's brain with exencephaly is exposed to amniotic fluids while inside their mother's womb.

“The brain typically drives skull growth, but with part of the skull missing, the brain often grows in the path of least resistance, which can damage its function,” pointed the article.

Doctors explained Lucas' condition, and the family braced for the worse. Lucas' three older daughters visited their parents at the hospital and medical practitioners told them their little brother might not make it.

Maria's husband, Augusto, even called a funeral home to prepare for his son's wake.

Minutes passed, and then hours. To everyone's surprise, little Lucas battled exencephaly. The source added that the boy “was breathing on his own” and was eating.

While previous cases of exencephaly resulted in an almost instantaneous death, Lucas had “already been alive longer than any other child” that was born with the condition.

Sensing that Lucas was fighting to live, Maria and Augusto agreed to have him operated four days after he was born.

The procedure, led by Dr. Tim Vogel, aimed to stabilize “a fluid-filled sac” on top of Lucas' head. But, just like any other surgery, one wrong move could spell disaster.

"If he goes home and this fluid sac ruptures, that would be unsurvivable," said Vogel, Director of the Pediatric Neurosurgery of the North Jersey Brain and Spine Center.

CNN said that the surgery was a blessing for the Santa Marias since children adapt well to neuroplasticity. The outlet quoted Vogel when he said that if he removed the damaged part of Lucas' brain, the functioning part “ could reassign the damaged area's duties.”

The procedure, which was the first of its kind, will also prohibit Lucas from having seizures and brain damage in the future.

Seven months after his operation, Lucas has exceeded everybody's expectations. He eats, just like a normal baby, goes to physical therapy and coos to Maria.

“It's kind of an unwritten fast-forward,” admitted Vogel. The doctor said that he and Lucas will spend more time together as he grows up to help aid his neurodevelopment and “protect his brain.”