Surgeons have successfully performed the first brain surgical procedure on a foetus still in the uterus , doctor a potentially deadly vascular miscreation from deep within the developingbrain . Using echography to guide the surgeons , the foetus was operated on at just 34 weeks and two days gestational age , marking a vast jump forward in the treatment of developmental disorders .
The foetus was diagnose with a vein of Galen misshapenness , an often pernicious and aggressive formation that involves arteria within the brain connecting directly to veins instead of first passing through capillaries . capillary tube are specifically designed to slow down blood pressure , so the misshapenness results in super gamy blood pressure as it rushes straight into the venous blood vessel . This places the brain and affectionateness under enormous tune during and after birth and can lead to pulmonary high blood pressure , heart failure , and other life - threatening shape .
It is diagnose during gestation and typically treated by a minimally trespassing procedure called endovascular embolization , in which a sawbones enters through the groin and utilize a subway to enter the brainiac vasculature , inject glue to cut blood provision .
The surgeons performed a like surgery , but this time it was entirelyin - utero . Under superintendence of the US Food and Drug Administration , they managed to bar in high spirits - insistency stemma vessels in the encephalon of the fetus , foreclose the spate of pressure during birth .
“ In our on-going clinical trial , we are using ultrasound - guided transuterine embolization to plow the vein of Galen miscreation before birth , and in our first treated subject , we were thrilled to see that the fast-growing decline usually figure after birth simply did not appear , ” said lead study generator Darren B. Orbach , co - director of the Cerebrovascular Surgery & Interventions Center at Boston Children ’s Hospital , in astatement .
“ We are pleased to report that at six weeks , the infant is advance remarkably well , on no medications , eating normally , gaining weight unit and is back home . There are no signs of any negative effects on the brain . ”
Despite being watched close following birthing , the child did not require any cardiovascular support and all neurological CAT scan were normal . There will now hopefully be more children that will undergo this subprogram when possible , in the Leslie Townes Hope of improving their outlook and carry on to improve the safety of the surgery .
“ While this is only our first do by affected role and it is vital that we continue the tribulation to value the safety and efficacy in other patients , this approach has the potential to mark a paradigm shift in managing vein of Galen malformation where we quicken the malformation prior to birth and head off the heart bankruptcy before it occur , rather than prove to reverse it after birth , ” Orbach said .
“ This may markedly reduce the risk of tenacious - full term brainpower damage , handicap or death among these infants . ”
The research is published inStroke .
