Wellington (Fla.) Regional Medical Center is the second hospital in the U.S. to study a minimally invasive surgical procedure to treat spina bifida in unborn babies, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
What you should know:
1. Ruben Quintero, MD, is leading the effort at Wellington Regional. He worked with a team of clinicians in Brazil to develop the minimally invasive approach.
2. Clinicians have used open surgical intervention to treat open spina bifida in utero for 10 years, but this new approach is minimally invasive.
3. The new approach allows clinicians to operate earlier, increasing the short- and long-term health benefits for both mothers and babies, Dr. Quintero said.
"This specific study is to help determine if this minimally invasive approach is as good for the baby, and better for the mother, than the open fetal surgery approach. The studies we performed in Brazil have been very promising," Dr. Quintero said.