Towards the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Odaymis noticed that her one-year-old daughter Mariana wasn’t eating normal and constantly made uncomfortable grunting sounds. With growing concerns due to the similarities of symptoms associated with COVID-19, Odaymis and her husband Manny decided to take Mariana to see a pediatrician at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
After a thorough examination and clear blood work, the pediatrician suggested some imaging to determine the root of the problem. At that point, Mariana was admitted to the Nicklaus Children’s Emergency Department where she underwent an ultrasound and a CT scan that revealed a mass about 10 cm large in her abdomen area.
Ricardo Restrepo, MD, Pediatric Interventional Radiologist at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital determined that Mariana suffered from an ovarian torsion, an uncommon but serious condition that occurs when the ovary, and sometimes the fallopian tube, twist on the tissues that support them.
Mariana’s plan of care consisted of surgery with Juan Calisto, MD, Pediatric Surgeon and Director of the Colorectal Center at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to remove the mass, which resulted in the loss of her ovary and fallopian tube. Nonetheless, her parents are glad that they didn’t wait any longer, and that the problem didn’t progress thanks to the medical expertise of the physicians Nicklaus Children’s.
“One important point to make is that Mariana presented in the middle of the pandemic, and it’s very good to know that our families can come to our hospital and get excellent care at any time. They should be encouraged to come to the hospital and not wait at home, said Juan Calisto, MD. “In Mariana’s case, they did the right thing. They came when they needed to, we were able to complete the operation, and gladly we had all the resources.”
“Regardless of what’s going on with the COVID situation, we need to move forward with our care. Because had I not taken her to the hospital on Saturday, who knows what would have happened a few days later,” said Odaymis. “I think we caught it right on time. My recommendation is that if you see something off, take your child to the ER or the pediatrician right away – don’t wait.”
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