Before she was even born, Denver already helped blaze a trail for other children and families. Denver, who was diagnosed with a Vein of Galen malformation (VOGM) — a type of rare blood vessel abnormality inside the brain — in utero, is the first child in North America to successfully undergo a groundbreaking procedure to treat it while still in her mother’s womb.
The Colemans traveled from Louisiana to Boston Children’s Maternal Fetal Care Center, which is also affiliated with Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The center provides support to parents of fetuses with life-threatening congenital anomalies. Here, Dr. Darren Orbach, an internationally recognized expert in VOGM, and an extensive team of experts used ultrasound-guided microcatheter technology to insert tiny metal coils into the VOGM. The coils help slow the blood flow and reduce the pressure in the affected vein.
Denver is now at home in Louisiana with her family, where she is monitored frequently by her local clinical team. Meanwhile, the Colemans are passionately spreading the word about the procedure that likely saved their daughter’s life and that has the potential to do the same for other families.