Pioneering surgery in womb for baby with spina bifida
- Jun 8, 2016
- EmmaArnold
A baby with spina bifida has undergone pioneering surgery whilst in the womb to help him walk.
Adam Daly's condition, which literally means 'split spine' was discovered during his 20-week scan as a hole in the bottom of his spine.
This means the spinal cord doesn't form properly and extreme cases can result in paralysis.
Baby Adam received fetoscoptic surgery in Germany which is considered an extremely risky procedure.
However, Adam reacted well and his parents have said he has been able to move his legs and believe they have given him the best start in life.
The hole in the spine is sealed by keyhole surgery and the operation takes around 3 hours.
Hannah Bottomley, clinical negligence solicitor at PotterReesDolan, said:
Spina bifida is a devastating condition which occurs whilst a baby is developing in the womb. The current treatment in the UK is for surgery to be performed once the baby has been born but, as the condition is often picked up at the 20 week scan, this is typically months after the condition has started to develop and can therefore lead to complications.
The opportunity to perform this kind of life altering surgery on a baby whilst it is still in the womb is incredible and I hope, with the right level of care and expertise, more children in the UK have the opportunities baby Adam has had. I wish him and his parents all the very best for the future.
Adam's parents hope that their story will make other families aware they have the choice to have surgery before their baby is born.
Presently, the operation is only available in the United States and some European countries but there is an international conference taking place this month to discuss the merits of fetoscopic surgery.
It is hoped that England will soon be able to perform the surgery and be added to the list.