Surgeons at St George’s Hospital operated on a 24 week old baby, making her their youngest patient ever.

Abiageal Peters, who was born extremely prematurely at 23 weeks, needed emergency surgery when she was just six days old. She weighed just slightly more than a pound of sugar.

After being born at St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey, Abiageal was transferred to the neonatal unit at St George’s Hospital for specialist care.

The emergency surgery, which carried a “high risk of death”, was performed to correct perforated necrotizing entercolitis (NEC), a severe gut condition that affects pre-term babies.

The tiny baby’s intestine had ruptured in three places making her severely unwell as her abdomen had become infected.

However, after a successful operation in which part of her intestine was removed, Abigail is doing well and celebrated her due date on February 19.

Her mother, Louise Peters, described the frightening experience and how she and her husband David were just allowed a “quick peek” at their baby before she was rushed off for surgery.

She said: “It was incredibly scary and certainly not the birth we had been imagining.

“She just looked so tiny and couldn’t make any noise or open her eyes.

“It was hard to believe something that small could survive, but we knew the fact she was being whisked away meant there was a chance.”

Consultant Paediatric Surgeon Zahid Mukhtar believes Abiageal is “the youngest patient to undergo and survive major abdominal surgery” anywhere in the world.

He said: “Abiageal is a unique case, and we only chose to operate because her chances of survival without surgery were so small. The fact she survived the operation – and is now doing so well – is fantastic news.

“We will continue to monitor her closely, but all the signs suggest we should be optimistic about her long-term prognosis.

“This is credit to Abiageal, her family, as well as the surgical, medical and nursing teams involved in looking after her.”

Baby Abiageal is now at home with her family in Esher.