Fetendo

Last updated
Fetendo
Other namesFetal Endoscopic
Specialty Fetal and pediatric surgeon

Fetendo or Fetal Endoscopic surgery [1] is a form of fetal intervention in the treatment of birth defects and other fetal problems. The procedure uses real-time video imagery from fetoscopy and ultrasonography to guide very small surgical instruments into the uterus in order to surgically help the fetus. The name Fetendo was adopted for the procedure because of how the video-based manipulation recalls a video game.

Contents

Overview

Fetendo intervention is less invasive than open fetal surgery. [2] It can be often be achieved with just a small guided wire sent through a needle-puncture of the skin (percutaneous), though in some cases it may require that a small opening be made in the mother's abdomen.

The fact that it is less invasive reduces the mother's postoperative recovery and lessens the troubles with preterm labor.

Fetendo has proven to be very useful for some, but not all, fetal conditions. Some examples include:

See also

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References

  1. Skarsgard, E. D.; Bealer, J. F.; Meuli, M.; Adzick, N. S.; Harrison, M. R. (August 1995). "Fetal endoscopic ('Fetendo') surgery: the relationship between insufflating pressure and the fetoplacental circulation". Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 30 (8): 1165–1168. doi:10.1016/0022-3468(95)90013-6. ISSN   0022-3468. PMID   7472974.
  2. Peiró JL, Carreras E, Guillén G, et al. (April 2009). "Therapeutic indications of fetoscopy: a 5-year institutional experience". J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A. 19 (2): 229–36. doi:10.1089/lap.2007.0149. PMID   19260783.