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Toddler thrives after rare abdominal defect treated with Botox

Iowa toddler Hendrix Ayala is improving after treatment for a rare abdominal defect performed at MercyOne Des Moines using a new Botox technique.
Diagnosed in the second trimester with a giant omphalocele, Hendrix faced doctors' recommendations for termination at 20 weeks, which his mother Riley Ayala refused.
Complications increase when defects exceed five centimeters, but Hendrix's measured 10 centimeters, prompting Dr. Ulises Garza Serna to utilize the new Botox technique in Iowa.
After two surgeries, the 20-pound toddler is learning to walk with physical therapy; Hendrix is now an energetic, almost-2-year-old who loves cars, hot dogs, and mac and cheese.
"He's achieving some milestones that we did not have before," Garza said. Giant omphaloceles affect one in every 10,000 children, underscoring the rarity of Hendrix's condition.

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