A superglue operation gave new life to a 17-month-old girl. In this operation, American doctors used glue to seal tiny brain blood vessels that were threatening her life.

Ella-Grace Honeyman, 17 months, was born with vein of Galen malformation, which causes tiny holes in the brain's main blood vessels.

According to sources, she was given months to live after blood seeped through the openings and flooded her skull cavity, causing a potentially fatal aneurysm. But with the surgery, in a series of high-risk operations, American surgeons have used the medical equivalent of superglue to stem the bleeding.

During surgery, surgeons inserted a remote-controlled tube containing an organic adhesive through her groin, past her stomach and heart, and finally into the base of her brain. After it they injected the glue into the holes in an artery and faulty capillaries, allowing the fluid in her skull to drain and removing the aneurysm.

Laura and Ryan Honeyman, from Horsfold, Norfolk are happy now because their daughter has every chance of living a full and happy life although she needs a number of "top-up" operations to plug the remaining openings.
 
Laura said: "We were told she had a brain aneurysm that would kill her unless treated and we really thought we'd lose our baby girl. The operation was a success and worth every penny."