A highly risky operation involving the excision of a tumor was successfully performed on a three-day-old infant.

　　The boy infant, Yu Qiang, was born along with his twin - who died - 40 days prematurely with a teratoma, the most common primary tumor seen in newborns which is caused by the development of independent germ cells.

　　Doctors said yesterday that he remains in stable condition now, nearly three weeks after surgery.

　　"When the boy was transferred from Nantong, Jiangsu Province to our hospital, he was in critical condition as the tumor was broken and infected," said Chen Qimin, deputy director of the pediatric surgery department of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, which conducted the surgery.

　　The overall weight of Yu and the tumor was 1.3 kilograms. The tumor was 10 centimeters wide, almost half the baby's height.

　　"We had to conduct surgery immediately, though he was only three days old at the time. Administering anesthesia was risky since he was too young and too weak. He could have died any time during surgery," Chen said. "We cut two sections of his spine to remove the entire tumor."

　　To bolster his immune system, the baby was injected with nutritious liquids. His weight has since climbed a bit, doctors said.

　　"We are so happy our baby got through surgery," said Yu Yongbo, the father. "Though we lost his bigger brother, Yu survives."

　　Yu's family was informed by doctors that their boy can leave hospital next weekend.