Revamped: Medical Marvel – Doctors Perform Unprecedented Brain Surgery on Fetus in Womb
In a groundbreaking development, doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital recently performed a first-of-its-kind surgery on a fetus with spina bifida while still in the mother’s womb. The surgery involved repairing a hole in the baby’s spine and placing a small patch over the spinal cord to prevent further damage. But that’s not all – the team also performed an unprecedented procedure to help the child’s brain develop normally by disconnecting some of the abnormal connections that often occur in fetuses with spina bifida.
The Procedure
The procedure, known as fetoscopic myelomeningocele repair, is a minimally invasive surgery that involves making small incisions in the mother’s abdomen and uterus, using a tiny camera to guide the instruments. The surgery is performed around 24 weeks of gestation, before the baby’s brain structures are fully developed.
The Risks
As with any surgery, there are risks involved with fetal surgery, including premature labor, infection, and damage to the placenta. However, the team at Texas Children’s has been performing these surgeries for over a decade and has a less than 5% rate of complications.
The Benefits
The benefits of the surgery are significant. By repairing the hole in the baby’s spine before birth, the risk of further damage to the spinal cord is minimized. But the real game-changer is the procedure to disconnect abnormal brain connections. In fetuses with spina bifida, abnormal connections can form between the brain and the spinal cord, which can lead to a host of developmental issues. By disconnecting these abnormal connections before birth, the child’s brain has a better chance of developing normally.
#medicalmarvel #fetalsurgery #spinaBifida #groundbreaking
Summary: In a first-of-its-kind surgery, doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital performed a minimally invasive surgery on a fetus with spina bifida while still in the mother’s womb. The procedure involved repairing a hole in the baby’s spine, as well as disconnecting abnormal brain connections to promote normal brain development. The benefits of the surgery are significant, with a minimized risk of further spinal cord damage and improved brain development. #HEALTH