This is the first picture of miracle baby Lewis Goodfellow, who was treated with Viagra to save his life. The six-month-old from Newcastle nearly died after being born 16 weeks premature in August.
His lung collapsed when he was just a day old and doctors had to stitch up a duct in his heart which had not closed properly. When the youngster’s lungs failed to work properly doctors tried Viagra in a last ditch attempt to save his life.
The drug worked by opening up some of the small blood vessels in the lungs, helping them to carry oxygen around the body properly. The operation at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary was a success and little Lewis has been allowed home. His parents Jade Goodfellow and John Barclay, from Walker in Newcastle, credited the wonder drug for saving their baby’s life.
Jade, 17, said: “He really is a miracle baby and we decided we would never give up hope until he had taken his last breath. At one point we were told we might have to make a decision about stopping. When they tried Viagra it was very much a last resort but it worked.”
Consultant neonatologist Alan Fenton said: “Using Sildenafil (Viagra) is relatively unusual. It is a fairly new form of treatment which we’ve been using on the unit for around a year.”
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