Home / Health / Miracle Surgery: Baby Saved Inside Mother's Womb
Miracle Surgery: Baby Saved Inside Mother's Womb
3 Aug
Summary
- Unborn baby's intestines were successfully pushed back inside his abdomen using keyhole surgery.
- The pioneering surgery took place in the US when the mother was 26 weeks pregnant.
- This groundbreaking procedure is part of a clinical trial for a rare birth defect.
A revolutionary surgical procedure has successfully corrected a severe birth defect in an unborn baby, marking a significant milestone in fetal medicine. The groundbreaking surgery was performed on Theo, a baby from London, while he was still inside his mother Maisie Savage's womb at 26 weeks gestation. The defect, gastroschisis, caused his intestines to grow outside his abdomen.
Doctors at Texas Children's Hospital in the US performed the procedure, which involved partially exposing the mother's womb and using keyhole surgery to gently push Theo's organs back inside his abdomen. This treatment is part of a first-of-its-kind clinical trial for complex gastroschisis, a condition affecting about one in 3,000 UK babies annually.
Prior to the surgery, Maisie traveled to Belgium for a Botox injection to relax the abdominal muscles, facilitating the repair. The operation in November last year was a complete success, with Theo born vaginally in February. He is now a healthy five-month-old, with specialists optimistic about expanding this technique globally, potentially for other conditions like spina bifida and cardiac issues.
