New medical breakthrough for premature babies named in honour of Hobart

A medical breakthrough has been named in honour of Hobart, where doctors have pioneered a life-changing treatment for babies born prematurely. FULL STORY + VIDEO >>

A medical breakthrough has been named in honour of Hobart, where doctors have pioneered a life-changing treatment for babies born prematurely.

The Hobart Method was developed by University of Tasmania Professor Peter Dargaville and his team at the Royal Hobart Hospital after years of trials.

One of the trial participants was Harry Allen, who was born prematurely in February of 2016 at just 27 weeks gestation suffering chronic breathing difficulty.

Global implications for pioneering treatment in Menzies Institute for Medical Research premature baby study. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

It was a harrowing time for his mother Alice Bingley, who had to wait five days before she could hold her own baby in her arms.

When she first laid eyes on Harry, he was hooked up to a bristling array of tubes, wires, and machinery that were pumping air into his struggling lungs.

“It was all a bit of a daze to begin with. There was so much going on and I was also quite sick myself,” Ms Bingley said.

“He is fantastic now, so full of life. You would never know that he was born prematurely.”

Now, at age five, Harry is a ball of energy who is just about to wrap up his first year of Kindergarten at Dominic College in Glenorchy.

Ms Bingley will never know if Harry received the Hobart Method treatment or if he was part of the control group, but is simply glad to help other mothers going through the same ordeal.

Harry was one of 485 premature babies who were enrolled in this study during their first hours of life.

Harry Allen 5 who was born prematurely at 27 weeks with mum Alice Bingley and Professor Peter Dargaville. Global implications for pioneering treatment in Menzies Institute for Medical Research premature baby study. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The findings were published in the Journal of American Medical Association on Tuesday, the culmination of years of work observing 33 neonatal intensive care units in 11 countries.

The researchers were attempting to see whether the Hobart Method could prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a chronic disease of the lung that can have lasting effects on the lives of preterm infants.

Professor Peter Dargaville said this new treatment had world-changing implications for the field of medical research.

“The findings of the study have absolutely cemented the idea that using a minimally-invasive technique to give surfactant can give these babies an advantage,” Professor Dargavile said.

“Our results suggest that the use of the Hobart method for giving surfactant on day one will translate into a healthier start to life for premature infants around the world.”

The findings have prompted a follow-up research project, where parents involved in the trial document their childrens’ health to see what the long-term lasting impacts will be.

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