Current status of surgical and anesthetic interventions in fetal life

Abstract

The current advancements in fetal medicine are a celebration of human ingenuity and triumph. A realm that is both poignant and captivating, the possibilities born out of progress in anesthesia and minimal access surgical techniques in the fetal microcosm are huge. A number of strategic approaches, including fetoscopic interventions, minimally invasive surgeries, and ex utero intrapartum—the so-called EXIT—procedures have facilitated correction of a number of life-threatening fetal conditions and anomalies. However, the challenges and risks in performing in utero fetal anesthesia and surgical maneuvers are so considerable that still only a few tertiary healthcare facilities across the globe carry out these procedures.