Medicina (Kaunas)
. 2025 Jun 24;61(7):1136.
doi: 10.3390/medicina61071136. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40731766/
Advances in Fetal Surgery: A Narrative Review of Therapeutic Interventions and Future Directions
Antonia Varthaliti 1, Vasilios Pergialiotis 1, Marianna Theodora 1, Vasilios Lygizos 1, Maria Anastasia Daskalaki 1, Panos Antsaklis 1, George Daskalakis 1
Affiliations Expand
- PMID: 40731766
- PMCID: PMC12300766
- DOI: 10.3390/medicina61071136
Abstract
Fetal surgery has emerged as a viable option for the management of selected congenital anomalies that result in severe or lethal outcomes if left untreated until birth. Conditions such as spina bifida, urinary tract obstruction, congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation, diaphragmatic hernia, sacrococcygeal teratoma, and twin-twin transfusion syndrome have shown improved prognosis after in utero intervention, open, or fetoscopically. Despite significant advances in surgical methods and anesthesia, preterm labor remains a primary concern. Stem cell transplantation and in utero gene therapy are developing, and they have the potential to expand the treatment window, as they minimize maternal complications. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which is based on the immaturity of the fetal immune system, is a promising treatment for inherited disorders. Although many procedures of fetal interventions are now established, their safety and efficacy must be ensured and this requires optimal patient selection and choice of appropriate timing for intervention, adherence to ethical principles, and continuous research. Therefore, a multidisciplinary team, including specialists in maternal-fetal medicine, pediatric surgery, anesthesiology, neonatology, psychosocial support, and bioethics, is essential to guide comprehensive, patient-centered care. Fetal surgery is an evolving field that offers hope for conditions previously considered untreatable before birth.
Keywords: congenital diaphragmatic hernia; fetal; fetal anemia; interventions; intrauterine; lower urinary tract obstruction; myelomeningocele; twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.
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