The first brain surgery in history performed on a fetus developing inside the mother’s womb has been successful, reports IFLScience. The intervention was necessary because an often fatal abnormality was observed in the 34-week-old fetus.
In the unborn child’s brain, the arteries are directly connected to the veins instead of the capillaries, which causes extremely high blood pressure, and this can be particularly dangerous during and after childbirth, even leading to cardiac arrest.
The child was born shortly after the operation, the newborn is apparently completely healthy, eats normally and does not need medication.
Experts say the new procedure could reduce the risk of permanent brain damage and death among fetuses with similar disorders.
