In October 2018, a revolutionary surgery was performed on babies whilst they were still in the womb, correcting their spine after a rare condition caused spinal deformities. The surgeries were a success, preventing likely paralysis once they were born, alongside preventing a host of other severe complications.
Now, the surgery has been rolled out across the UK, and the NHS reports that it has been performed on 32 babies since Jan 2020. The incredible surgery takes up to 30 specialist medical professionals in the operating theatre, and involves operating on the developing fetus from just 5 months into the pregnancy.
Spina bifida is a form of neural tube defect that can affect any point along the spine, in which the backbone doesn’t close properly. This may lead to damage to the nerves around it, including the spinal cord, as well as leaving these nerves exposed and vulnerable. It can range in severity and cause a host of mental and physical disabilities, with serious cases causing paralysis.