PRENATAL SURGERY IN MOTHERS’ WOMBS PREVENTS DOZENS OF BABIES WITH SPINA BIFIDA FROM BEING PARALYZED

PRENATAL SURGERY IN MOTHERS’ WOMBS PREVENTS DOZENS OF BABIES WITH SPINA BIFIDA FROM BEING PARALYZED

Rough Transcript:

Spina bifida is a birth defect in which the spinal cord fails to develop or close properly. For an unborn child, this is a devastating diagnosis. Until recently, doctors were unable to attempt to correct the condition until after the baby was born. Now, however, thanks to some stunning advances in prenatal surgery, operations performed in utero show much more promising results. Doctors think that the longer a baby’s spinal tissue is exposed to amniotic fluid in the womb, the greater the damage to the nerves. This can lead to permanent paralysis of the legs, loss of sensation, and lack of function in the kidney, bladder, and bowels. Corrective procedures performed during the second trimester (usually between 23 to 26 weeks) are reported to minimize nerve damage and give many spina bifida babies the hope of leading close to normal lives. [PIC]Helena Purcell, a mom-to-be in the U.K., learned that her unborn daughter had spina bifida during a routine 20-week scan. Half the baby’s spine was exposed by a large lesion. She was told the chances her child would ever walk were slim, and she’d likely be incontinent her entire life. Incontient can mean that there is no control over the bladder. Within days of hearing that “DX”, Helena was tested to see if she qualified for the life-changing in utero surgery program—and she was approved. Helena was 23 weeks into her pregnancy when she arrived in Belgium where the surgery was to be performed. Three months later, Helena’s daughter Mila was born. The surgery was a success and Mila’s development was good. Helena said, “I cannot explain the massive difference [this] has had for my family. The doctors are heroes in my eyes, and the surgery they did is just mind-blowing. If it wasn’t for them, Mila would be paralyzed. I am just so grateful that she has had this chance.” Here in America, [PIC] a 20-week ultrasound revealed Mallorie and Chris Deruyter’s son, Max, had spina bifida. Mallorie was sent to Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for further treatment. While this new operation is much less invasive than earlier procedures, Mallorie still ran a risk for the premature delivery which the surgery sometimes causes. Mallorie said, “When I initially heard that, I actually thought there’s no way I’m going to have surgery. I just thought it was absolutely crazy. And then the more research I did, the more I realized this is going to give him the best life.” After the seven-hour operation, mother and the unborn baby were doing well. The Deruyters went home to Green Bay but were set to return to Chicago for a C-section when the pregnancy reached 39 weeks. The baby had other plans. Mallorie went into labor and Max arrived at 3 a.m., just hours before the scheduled C-section, but with no complications. Now back home, Max is thriving. Chris, Max’s father, said, “The chance of a really normal life for him really looks apparent. You can see he’s going to be a thriving, happy young little boy. I don’t think we would have done it any other way.” This is awesome to see our techonolgy in the medical field continue to grow and thrive. It will be fascating to see what happens the next 10, 20 or 30 years. Time shall tell...

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/mind-blowing-surgery-spared-dozens-of-babies-from-spina-bifida-paralysis/

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