Fetal Surgery for Spina Bifida (5 of 12)

Fetal surgery for spina bifida requires expert planning and care. Meet the multidisciplinary team involved in prenatal repair of MMC. http://www.chop.edu/spinabifida

Experts from the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia talk about how fetal repair of myelomeningocele (the most severe form of spina bifida) is a well-orchestrated and complex procedure that is performed with the safety of mother and unborn child as a foremost concern.

Every precaution is taken to maintain the health and well-being of both patients during the tightly choreographed prenatal spina bifida repair. Participants in this highly complex prenatal surgery include several fetal surgeons, a pediatric neurosurgeon, a fetal cardiologist, an obstetrician, an anesthesiologist, surgical nurses and others. The fetal surgeon and pediatric neurosurgeon work together to perform the myelomeningocele repair just like you would on a newborn after birth.

The goal is to cover the unprotected spinal cord with a water-tight protective closure. This stops the damage caused by amniotic fluid exposure for the rest of the pregnancy, and also stops the leakage of cerebrospinal fluid that plays an important role in the development of hindbrain herniation and hydrocephalus.

Once the spinal cord is closed, the uterine wall is closed, then the maternal abdomen is closed.