Doctors at The Fetal Institute in Miami, Florida, Conduct an FDA-monitored Clinical Trial of Fetoscopic Repair in Open Spina Bifida
MIAMI, July 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fetal Institute, Miami, FL, which specializes in the assessment, counseling, and management of patients with high-risk pregnancies, is conducting an FDA-monitored clinical trial of fetoscopic repair in open spina bifida. This minimally-invasive technique was developed by doctors at The Fetal Institute and the USFetus in collaboration with colleagues in Brazil, translating more than 10 years of experience in the animal model to a viable clinical application.
"This trial will determine the validity of the new technique," says Dr. Eftichia Kontopoulos, co-investigator. "Because fetoscopic repair doesn't require opening the uterus, we can treat the fetus while at the same time allow the mother to deliver vaginally for the affected and any subsequent pregnancy."
Open spina bifida (OSB), a birth defect that occurs in approximately 1 in 1,500 births in the United States, results from failure of the spine to close at some point along its length during fetal development. The abnormality leads to injury and loss of spinal cord tissue at and below the defect.
Previous research has shown that antenatal treatment via open fetal surgery, which requires opening the maternal abdomen and uterus, can improve pregnancy outcomes in OSB. However, this places the mother at risk for uterine rupture and requires delivery by cesarean section for the affected pregnancy and any subsequent pregnancy.
The new minimally-invasive fetoscopic technique for OSB repair requires no uterine incision, minimizing risks to the mother while preserving the potential benefits of the in-utero repair for the fetus.
To learn more about the clinical fetoscopic repair trial or to obtain information on referring patients to The Fetal Institute, please click here or call (786)-971-2303.
About the Fetal Institute
The Fetal Institute provides patients with the latest and most advanced resources in the field of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Fetal Therapy, including high-resolution ultrasound imaging, non-invasive serum screening and prenatal testing (NIPT), as well as comprehensive invasive prenatal diagnostic and therapeutic techniques Fundamental to the Institute's philosophy, all diagnostic and therapeutic options are performed using either a non-invasive or a minimally invasive approach, which results in better pregnancy outcomes.
Founded by Dr. Ruben Quintero and Dr. Eftichia Kontopoulos, The Fetal Institute serves as a resource to all Obstetricians and Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialists and a national and international referral center for the assessment and management of complicated pregnancies.
Media Contact:
Ruben Quintero
[email protected]
786-971-2303
SOURCE The Fetal Institute
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