In a major medical breakthrough, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has successfully performed India's first open fetal surgery to repair a severe spinal defect in an unborn baby at 25 weeks of pregnancy.
The six-hour operation was performed on November 12 and involved repairing a lumbosacral myelomeningocele, the most severe form of spina bifida. The procedure was carried out while the baby was still in the womb, aiming to prevent further damage to the developing spinal cord.
Six-Hour Surgery After Five Weeks of Planning
The complex procedure followed more than five weeks of detailed preparation, including fetal imaging, medical counselling, anaesthetic planning and surgical simulations.
More than 30 doctors and medical professionals from multiple departments participated in the operation at the AIIMS Neurosciences Centre. The team used advanced microscopy and continuous ultrasonography to perform the surgery.
What Is Myelomeningocele?
Myelomeningocele is an open neural tube defect in which the spinal cord and its protective coverings protrude through an opening in the spine. The condition can lead to serious complications, including paralysis, fluid accumulation in the brain and lifelong neurological disabilities.
Traditionally, the defect is repaired after birth. However, fetal surgery allows doctors to address it before delivery in carefully selected pregnancies.
Mother and Baby Under Medical Observation
Following the procedure, the mother and unborn baby will remain under close medical monitoring throughout the pregnancy, delivery and newborn period. Doctors have emphasised that fetal surgery is not a complete cure and that long-term medical care may still be required.
The procedure was performed free of cost under the Centre's Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), marking an important development in advanced fetal care and paediatric neurosurgery in India.