Rare 90-Second Foetal Heart Surgery Inside Womb: 10 Things To Know

Recently, the doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) performed a rare surgery on a "grape-sized" heart of a 28-week foetus. The rare surgery was performed in only 90 seconds inside the womb and saved the life of the foetus.

The mother's baby was observed by medical professionals to have some complications in the heart. The survival of the baby depended on this critical surgery.

The surgery was performed to remove a clog in the foetus's heart. The surgery was successful and both mother and baby are stable. Here's all you need to know about the 90-second foetal heart surgery.

Rare 90-Second Foetal Heart Surgery: 10 Things To Know

• This is a very rare surgery and has been performed on the grape-sized heart of the foetus while it was still in its mother's womb keeping in mind the condition of its heart.
• The time taken for the surgery was 90 seconds. It was performed on a 28 old pregnant mother who had previously suffered three miscarriages. The success garnered praise from the Prime Minister and the Health Minister themselves.
• This successful surgery was performed by doctors from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and by cardiologists of the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
• The term for the procedure performed is called balloon dilation. This is performed in the valve of the heart that is obstructed.
• The balloon dilation procedure was done after an ultrasound. The doctors inserted a needle inside the heart of the foetus. After that, a balloon catheter was used to unclog the valve.
• The doctors conveyed that the reshaping procedure on the foetus' heart is expected to help develop it well. Both the mother and the foetus have been doing well post-surgery and are being closely monitored for the time being.
• Balloon valve dilation is a process where a tube or catheter as is a part of this cardiac catheterisation process is inserted into one's groin and directed to the inside of an individual's heart. This process can usually be administered in children and adults.
• However, in this case, it was administered on a foetus in the womb which Dr Subhendu Mohanty, a cardiologist from Sharda Hospital calls challenging owing to foetal movement.
• Cardiologist Dr Batra conveyed that the baby could be saved because of intervention at the right time.
• Foetal abnormalities, he conveyed, can be detected during regular antenatal check-ups by the foetal echo.

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