Fetal medicine and surgery

This chapter begins by discussing fetal screening (screening for and diagnosis of chromosomal defects) and the use of magnetic resonance imaging in detecting problems such as brain abnormalities or congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Fetal diagnosis of cardiac anomalies, lung anomalies, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, abdominal wall defects, gastrointestinal anomalies, abdominal masses, obstructive uropathy, hydrocephalus, and spina bifida are discussed. There are probably two relevant surgical conditions where actual fetal intervention has a potential role. These are FETO fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) for severe diaphragmatic hernia and in utero closure of spina bifida.