AIIMS Performs India’s First Open Fetal Repair for Spina Bifida
· India · Indian Express, PTI
Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi performed India's first open fetal repair of a lumbosacral myelomeningocele on November 12. The six-hour surgery took place at 25 weeks of pregnancy following five weeks of preparation by a team of over 30 medical professionals. Spina bifida is a severe neural tube defect that causes the spinal cord to push out through a gap in the spine, leading to paralysis and fluid build-up in the brain. Operating before birth aims to halt the progressive damage that occurs over the course of pregnancy. Experts note that while the prenatal procedure can improve early motor outcomes and reduce the need for hydrocephalus treatment, it is not a complete cure.
Why it matters
This milestone establishes an advanced maternal-fetal care capability in India, offering prenatal intervention options for severe neural tube defects that previously could only be treated after birth.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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