In a groundbreaking trial, surgeons have operated on a fetus's brain while still in the womb, documenting the process in a recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal Stroke.
The trial involved repairing a malformed blood vessel in the fetus's brain at 34 weeks gestation in order to find a new treatment for vein of Galen malformation (VOGM). VOGM is a rare blood vessel abnormality in the brain, whereby misshapen arteries connect directly with veins.
Left untreated, this can lead to heart failure and high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. The procedure was successful, and the baby was born in March, not requiring any medication or treatment after discharge.
The trial involved a collaboration between Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham Women's Hospital and was set to include around 20 babies. The decision to perform surgery in utero was based on the belief that the surgery would not be effective if performed after birth, as it could not reverse the onset of heart failure. Doctors reported no negative effects on the baby's brain following the procedure.
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