IT WAS a life-threatening condition so rare it is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, and only the fifth in the world.

While pregnant with her second child, Susannah McKenzie was diagnosed with a potentially fatal heart tumour.

But that did not faze a team of experts at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital from doing what they do best – and saving the life of both her and her unborn child.

Now Mrs McKenzie and her husband Andy have thanked the team of almost 40 specialists who performed the ground-breaking procedure to deliver her baby by caesarean and then remove her tumour.

Mrs McKenzie, 32, was diagnosed with a tumour called a myxoma at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon when she was 29 weeks into her pregnancy.

The 3cm mass, which hovered around the left atrium of her heart, put her at immediate risk of suffering a stroke and losing both her own life and that of her baby.

The hospital immediately sought the expertise of the JR’s consultant cardiologist Dr Oliver Ormerod and cardiac surgeon Prof Stephen Westaby, who have worked together for almost 25 years.

Dr Ormerod said: “This was an incredibly rare problem – none of us had ever seen a heart tumour in a pregnant woman before and we are not aware of any other case in England ever. There are only a few reports of it around the world.”

Prof Westaby said: “This was an incredibly serious and potentially catastrophic problem.

“If it had been handled incorrectly, both mother and baby would have died.”

Usually a myxoma would be treated as a surgical emergency – if it breaks into pieces it can cause a stroke and kill instantly.

But Mrs McKenzie was too early into her pregnancy to have surgery and risk losing her baby, who was originally due on Christmas Day.

Instead she was given powerful anticoagulation drugs until 32 weeks into the pregnancy.

Then, under the watchful eye of a 25-strong team made up of anaesthetists, cardiologists, and surgeons, baby Felix Oliver James McKenzie was born by C section in a cardiac theatre at the Oxford Heart Centre.

Mrs McKenzie was given a few days to bond with her miracle baby, before herself being taken for heart surgery on November 7.

Mrs McKenzie, from Fairford, in Gloucestershire, said it felt like a natural ‘thank you’ to name her son Oliver after Dr Ormerod.

She added: “As I settle down to enjoy Christmas with our lovely new baby Felix, I’m just so grateful for all the people who have made this possible.

“I’ve had wonderful care from so many doctors and nurses at both the JR also the Great Western Hospital.

“In particular, Oliver Ormerod looked after me throughout this process and made this whole experience a manageable one.

“None of it was scary. I had people holding both hands.

“After Felix was born, I think I had to keep my emotions under control because I needed to get better myself.

“Felix is beautiful and growing nicely. He’s now six and a half ounces. I’m so grateful.”