A baby boy born with his heart outside of his chest in Chongqing, China

A baby boy has been born with his heart outside of his chest in Chongqing, China. 

The boy was abandoned by his mother when he was 110 days old and found by a passerby who took him to hospital

It was revealed that he had the life-threatening condition Pentalogy of Cantrell and has since undergone surgery thanks to the donations of kindhearted locals.

Pentalogy of Cantrell is a rare disorder that is present at birth. It is characterized by a combination of birth defects that can involve the breastbone, the sternum, the diaphragm, the thin membrane that lines the heart, the abdominal wall, and the heart.

Pentalogy of Cantrell occurs with varying degrees of severity. Some infants may have mild defects, while others may have serious, life-threatening complications.

The most severe expression of Pentalogy of Cantrell occurs when the heart is completely or partially displaced outside the chest, which is known as ectopia cordis.

Infants with Pentalogy of Cantrell can have a wide variety of congenital heart defects including a 'hole in the heart' and abnormal location of the heart on the right side of chest instead of the left, among others.

The exact cause of Pentalogy of Cantrell is unknown. Most cases occur randomly for no apparent reason. One theory suggests that the symptoms of Pentalogy of Cantrell occur due to an abnormality in the development of embryonic tissue early in the pregnancy.

The condition affects boys and girls in equal numbers. The exact prevalence is unknown, but estimated to be 5.5 in 1 million live births