Fetoscopic two‐layer closure of open neural tube defects

• Published in: Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology Vol. 52; no. 4; pp. 452 - 457
• Main Authors: Giné, C., Arévalo, S., Maíz, N., Rodó, C., Manrique, S., Poca, A., Molino, J. A., Carreras, E., López, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.10.2018; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Chorioamnionitis; Complications; Defects; Feasibility Studies; Female; fetal surgery; Fetoscopy; Fetuses; Gestational Age; Hindbrain; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Membranes; Meningomyelocele - diagnostic imaging; Meningomyelocele - embryology; Meningomyelocele - physiopathology; Meningomyelocele - surgery; myelomeningocele; Neural tube defects; Neurosurgery; Neurosurgical Procedures - methods; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care); Patients; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Prenatal development; Skin; Surgery; Uterus; neural tube defects; fetal surgery; fetoscopy; myelomeningocele
• ISSN: 0960-7692; 1469-0705
• DOI: 10.1002/uog.19104

ABSTRACT Objective Fetoscopy for closure of open neural tube defects (NTD) remains controversial, as the use of patches or single‐layer closure is not considered to meet the standards of good neurosurgical reconstruction. In this study, we describe a fetoscopic two‐layer (myofascial and skin) closure technique for the treatment of NTD in five patients and report the preliminary anatomical outcome at birth. Methods From February to September 2017, five pregnant women with a fetus with a NTD, including three cases of myelomeningocele and two cases of myelocele, were operated on using a fetoscopic two‐layer closure technique. In this technique, with the uterus exteriorized and using three 10‐Fr ports, the placode is dissected from the surrounding tissue and detethered, removing the cystic tissue. The skin is undermined by blunt dissection and the defect is sutured to the midline in two layers (myofascial and skin) using a running 4/0 resorbable barbed suture. Results Median gestational age at the procedure was 24 + 3 (range, 23 + 5 to 27 + 3) weeks. Surgery was successful in all cases, without any intraoperative complications. Median time in surgery was 180 (range, 140–180) min and median time for fetoscopy was 105 (range, 65–120) min. In terms of obstetric complications, three cases of premature rupture of membranes and one case of chorioamnionitis were recorded. Median gestational age at delivery was 34 + 1 (range, 25 + 4 to 37 + 2) weeks and two patients delivered vaginally. The closed defect was watertight with good quality tissue in all cases. Conclusion Fetoscopic two‐layer closure of NTD may improve the quality of the tissue covering the defect, diminishing the need for postnatal surgical revision, and preserving the well‐documented beneficial effects of prenatal closure on the neural tissue and hindbrain herniation. However, this technique may not be appropriate for those cases with wide diastasis of the myofascial layer or with a low quantity of available tissue. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.