Viagra saved the life of a premature baby

  UK doctors saved the life of a 24 weeks baby using Viagra.

  Lewis Goodfellow was born prematurely in August 2006, weighing just just 1lb 8oz, one of his tiny lungs collapsed the next day and doctors discovered a duct in his heart had not closed up, meaning that oxygen-rich blood could not circulate round his body properly.

  Three weeks later, surgeons sewed an incomplete heart duct that was preventing blood being pumped around his body properly. But doctors became increasingly worried about the youngster's lungs, which were struggling to get oxygen into his blood.

  At that point, doctors gave the baby Viagra and, gradually, Lewis's stricken lung began to improve.

  The drug works by opening up small blood vessels in the baby's lungs, which are not working properly, to help carry oxygen around the body in the blood.

  Lewis's parents Jade Goodfellow, 17, and John Barclay, from Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne, praised medical staff, and the drug, for saving the life of their child.

  Proud parents Jade Goodfellow and John Barclay took the battling baby to their Newcastle home for the first time last month.

  Now six months old, he still needs 24-hour oxygen but Jade and lifeguard John are overjoyed that he is alive at all.

  The couple are still amazed the blue sex pill was able to save their son's life.