The smallest child to ever undergo heart surgery in China was discharged from Fudan University's Children's Hospital in Shanghai yesterday.

Doctors said Ni Xinyu, a 58-day-old boy, is in a stable condition and his weight has increased from 1.5 to 2.4 kilograms in the 20 days since the operation.

"The surgery was very successful. He is expected to grow up like a healthy child without any influence on his physical development," said Dr Jia Bing, who led the intervention.

Ni underwent surgery to repair two holes in his heart on February 22.

"He was born two months premature and was only 1.4 kilograms on delivery. He was immediately transferred to our hospital, where doctors found serious inborn malformations including two holes in his heart," said Luo Weifen, a hospital spokesperson.

Hospital officials said surgery was Ni's best chance for survival, as he would likely suffer pneumonia and other problems that could frustrate his development without the operation.

Doctors worked on Ni's tiny blood vessels and pigeon-egg-sized heart for two hours to repair it. 

(Shanghai Daily March 15, 2005)