Severance Hospital has marked another groundbreaking achievement by successfully operating on Mikhael Josepine Haresananda, a 7-year-old Indonesian boy born with a rare condition where his heart was outside his body.

Haresananda was born with ectopia cordis, a mysterious ailment affecting 1 in 200,000 newborns.

Lacking the typical coverage of a breastbone, a portion of Haresananda's heart was covered only by a thin layer of a visceral membrane and protruded outside his chest.

Over 90 percent of babies with this condition either are stillborn or survive just a few days. Moreover, Haresananda's impoverished background prevented him from receiving adequate medical attention in Indonesia, and he was isolated from peers due to the fear of any external trauma to his protruding heart.

Efforts to seek help for Haresananda had previously been in vain. Many international hospitals deemed his situation too severe for treatment. However, his plight reached the compassionate ears of Severance Hospital through a non-profit organization, Global Love Sharing.

The medical team promptly recognized the urgency and admitted Haresananda under their "Global Severance, Global Charity" program.

Further examination revealed that Haresananda's condition was more complicated than anticipated. His heart, not only externally displaced, had only one functional ventricle with significant structural deficiencies.

As a result, the team, led by Professors Han Seok-joo and Shin Yu-rim, embarked on a meticulous operation where they created a new diaphragm using artificial materials and simultaneously performed several other corrective procedures. Professor Jung Jo-won also participated in diagnosing and coming up with a treatment plan for the patient.

Two days post-operation, after the swelling subsided, the surgical site was sealed, marking the end of an arduous but successful operation.

"This wasn't just another surgery as it was a beacon of hope for countless others suffering from rare conditions worldwide," Professor Han said, who led the operation.

Professor Jung also said, "When I first heard about Haresananda, the treatment seemed challenging, but our determination to see him recover was stronger, and I hope he can now play freely with friends and experience life without constraints."

Haresananda was discharged on Aug. 20 and returned back to his home country.

Meanwhile, Severance Hospital has been running the "Global Severance, Global Charity" program since 2011, assisting international patients struggling due to economic hardships or medical limitations.

To date, with generous donations worth approximately 8.8 billion won ($6.6. million), they have treated 226 patients from 29 countries. Haresananda's treatment, costing around 300 million won, was made possible through this program, with additional support from the Korean Heart Foundation and other organizations.