09/26/2025
👋 Meet Micaiah.
Micaiah’s journey began with a surprise diagnosis just moments after birth. His mom shared, “As soon as he was born, we saw his bladder outside his body. We didn’t know what it was or what it meant for him. We were initially very worried, confused and scared since nothing was seen on any of the previous scans. That is when we first learned about bladder exstrophy.”
After learning more about the condition and the complexity of the surgery required, Micaiah’s family began researching options. That’s when they discovered the Kelly approach at Nationwide Children's.
“On the same day he was born we learned about the diagnosis and also learned he would need almost 16 hours of surgery and that his bones would need to be broken. Days later, as our family was researching, we saw on the Facebook bladder exstrophy group that there was a relatively new Kelly approach which was very different from what we had previously heard about. We learned Nationwide [Children's] was the only place that performed this surgery in the US.”
The Bladder Exstrophy team at Nationwide Children's is the first program in the United States to offer this unique two-step treatment to caring for newborns with this condition. The first surgery to close the bladder takes place when a child is a few weeks to a few months old. Then, between ages one and two, the second procedure, called the Kelly Procedure, creates the sphincter muscles, to more actively allow the bladder to grow. This approach, pioneered by Dr. Peter Cuckow, leads to shorter hospital stays and better continence outcomes without the need for osteotomies.
“The experience at Columbus and Nationwide Children's was great! From the first consultation to every follow-up, we felt so comfortable. The staff made sure Micaiah was as comfortable as possible, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio across the street was a huge help for our family.”
After a successful surgery and a few days of recovery in the hospital, Micaiah is back at home and enjoying time with his two older brothers!
Learn more about bladder exstrophy and our unique approach to care: https://bit.ly/3B1wzt7,