A six-year-old girl from Zonhoven, Belgium, underwent emergency surgery in Barcelona on Thursday after developing a critical arterial bleed just days after a complex operation to remove a neuroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer. Inez Aerts, who had been recovering from the initial surgery, experienced a sudden decline when she became pale and weak, prompting doctors to discover the internal bleeding.
The emergency procedure addressed a hemorrhage in the artery leading to her liver, a complication that left her parents fearing the worst. “She crawled through the eye of the needle,” her mother wrote on Instagram, as reported by TVL.be. “They couldn’t say with certainty whether they would be able to fix it.” The liver was temporarily deprived of oxygenated blood, and doctors closely monitored her condition in the 48 hours following the surgery.
Inez was initially diagnosed with neuroblastoma two years ago and underwent a major operation in Barcelona last week, a procedure considered her best chance for recovery. The complex surgery, which can last up to ten hours, was performed by a specialized team. Prior to the initial operation, the family had received significant support through fundraising efforts to cover the medical expenses.
While Inez was initially doing well after the first surgery, the unexpected complication arose ten days later. A CT scan revealed the arterial bleed, leading to the emergency intervention. According to her mother, Dr. Krauel played a crucial role in saving her life. As of Friday, Inez was awake but remains significantly weakened.
The family shared updates on social media, detailing a prior blood transfusion administered in the hospital on the evening before the emergency surgery. “At 6 pm we had to go to the emergency room to get a blood transfusion,” her mother posted. The initial surgery had been deemed successful, with the surgeon expressing optimism, though further details were still being discussed at the time.
Inez is currently recovering in intensive care, described as sleepy but pain-free. The family remains in Barcelona, continuing to monitor her progress.
