Olutoye Oluyinka: The Nigerian doctor who operated on a baby in the womb and returned her to life

Olutoye Oluyinka, a Nigerian doctor, grew up in Lagos in a family deeply involved in academics and the military. His father, Major General (rtd) Olufemi Olutoye, was a military commander and traditional leader, while his mother, Professor Omotayo Olutoye, was an academic. It was this environment that inspired his early ambition to become a doctor and shaped his drive for precision and excellence.

He attended Lagos University Staff School for his primary education and King’s College, Lagos, for secondary school. He went on to study medicine at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where he graduated as the class valedictorian in 1988. Seeking further training, he moved to the United States, completing postgraduate training in paediatrics at Howard University General Hospital and earning a Ph.D. in Anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1996. He then trained in general surgery at the Medical College of Virginia Hospital and specialised in pediatric surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania.

He came to global attention in 2016 when he led a team at Texas Children’s Fetal Center in a surgery that few thought possible. A 23-week-old fetus had a large tumour growing on her tailbone. The procedure required carefully removing part of the fetus from the mother’s womb, excising the tumour, and returning the fetus so she could continue developing. The baby, Lynlee Boemer, was delivered weeks later via Caesarean section in good health. The operation showed that life-saving surgery could be performed even before birth.

Oluyinka has also been involved in complex procedures for conditions such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia, lung abnormalities, chest wall deformities, omphalocele, gastroschisis, and neonatal wound management. In 2015, he and a team of Nigerian doctors successfully separated conjoined twins, Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata. His research focuses on fetal wound healing and understanding inflammatory responses to improve outcomes for babies born with congenital conditions.

He later became co-director of the Texas Children’s Fetal Center and was recently appointed Surgeon-In-Chief at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio. There, he leads 11 surgical departments and works with The Ohio State University College of Medicine as professor and the E. Thomas Boles Chair of Pediatric Surgery. His work combines patient care, research, and teaching the next generation of pediatric surgeons.

His contributions have been recognised in Nigeria and abroad. Obafemi Awolowo University honoured him with the Great Ife Alumni Award for Excellence in the Sciences and inducted him into the Hall of Distinction. Other awards include the Molecular Surgeon Research Achievement Award from Baylor College of Medicine, the Mark A. Wallace Catalyst Leader of the Year Award from Texas Children’s Hospital, and the Denton A. Cooley Surgical Innovator Award. In 2022, he received Nigeria’s National Order of Merit from President Muhammadu Buhari.

Oluyinka is married to Professor Olutoyin Olutoye, and they have a daughter and a son. The family lives in the United States. His work has shown that medicine can reach beyond traditional boundaries, that surgeries can save lives even before birth, and that determination, skill, and collaboration can create breakthroughs with lasting impact.

Chisom Michael

Chisom Michael is a data analyst (audience engagement) and writer at BusinessDay, with diverse experience in the media industry. He holds a BSc in Industrial Physics from Imo State University and an MEng in Computer Science and Technology from Liaoning Univerisity of Technology China. He specialises in listicle writing, profiles and leveraging his skills in audience engagement analysis and data-driven insights to create compelling content that resonates with readers.