Woman has pioneering womb surgery to fix 'miracle' baby with intestines outside its body
A British baby underwent pioneering keyhole surgery while still in the womb to correct a severe birth defect called gastroschisis. The procedure, performed in the US, successfully repaired the infant's abdominal wall, allowing him to thrive.
Why it matters
This represents a significant advancement in fetal medicine, offering hope for treating complex congenital conditions before birth.
Image source, Maisie Savage Image caption, Baby Theo was operated on while still in Maisie Savage's womb
Doctors have used ground-breaking surgery on an unborn baby to successfully correct a birth defect while he was still inside the womb.
His mother, Maisie Savage, from London, was operated on by doctors in the US while she was 26 weeks pregnant.
Baby Theo, who is now five months old and thriving, had gastroschisis, where the belly button does not develop properly, causing the intestines to grow externally.
Doctors partially exposed his mother's womb and then gently pushed his organs back inside his abdomen using keyhole surgery.
He was the third baby in the world to benefit from the first-of-its-kind clinical trial.
Figure caption, Meet Theo: Baby who underwent pioneering surgery for birth defect while in womb
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in