AIIMS Performs India's First Foetal Spine Surgery
The surgery followed five weeks of planning and involved more than 30 doctors: Reports
NEW DELHI: In a medical first in India, AIIMS Delhi has successfully performed an open foetal surgery to repair a severe spinal defect in an unborn baby at 25 weeks of pregnancy.
The six-hour procedure, performed on November 12, involved repairing a lumbosacral myelomeningocele, the most severe form of spina bifida, while the baby was still in the womb.
The surgery followed five weeks of planning and involved more than 30 doctors and nurses from multiple specialties. The neurosurgical team was led by Dr Deepak Gupta, while the maternal-foetal medicine and obstetric teams were headed by Dr Neena Malhotra and Dr K. Aparna Sharma.
Myelomeningocele is a birth defect in which the spinal cord protrudes through an opening in the spine, potentially causing paralysis and lifelong neurological disabilities.
Dr Gupta said prenatal repair could reduce further damage to the exposed spinal cord and improve neurological outcomes in selected cases. However, he cautioned that the procedure was not a cure and long-term care remained essential.
The mother and foetus will remain under close medical supervision until delivery and beyond. The surgery was performed free of cost under the government's Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram.