The first fetal operation in the mother’s womb was performed by a hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. The fetus was only 23 weeks old. The phenomenal operation was successful. Doctors have openened the door to the baby girl’s better life.
Congenital Defect
Thanks to modern technologies it was found that the fetus has a congenital developmental defect of spina bifida. This affection is a congenital developmental defect of the spine, where the spine and membranes around the spinal cord are incompletely closed during fetal development. Part of the spinal cord remains unclosed outside the spine.
This affects poor walking ability, even can lead to paralysis of the feet, causes problems with controlling the bladder or intestines, and accumulation of fluids in the brain.
Surgery
Darrell Cass, who led the team of pediatric neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, and a fetal cardiologist in Cleveland hospital, was successful. Cass is excited about the result.
„The operation went perfectly, and in fact the repair on this baby’s back is the best that I’ve seen in the last 20 years, “Cass said.
The feared complications did not come, the baby and mother recovered very well.
„She will still have to deal with some disability, and we are going to work on all of those things, but she will be as good as she can be. “Cass added.
Although the child will still face certain health conditions, the operation has given the baby a better start in life.
The baby girl was born a few weeks after surgery this June.
Below you can see how the operation went
Source and credit: https://www.elitereaders.com/first-utero-surgery-ohio/, wikipedia.org, pixabay.com
