Fetal Cardiac Surgery
Fetal Cardiac Surgery - Related Videos
14:19
Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
0 Views •
Cited by 11 •
2013
We describe examination of fetal cardiac function with contemporary functional fetal echocardiography and fetoplacental Doppler ultrasound using the VisualSonics VEVO 2100 microultrasound in a surgically induced model of intrauterine fetal growth restriction in a rabbit.
08:04
Murine Fetal Echocardiography
0 Views •
Cited by 7 •
2013
Fetal and perinatal death is a common feature when studying genetic alterations affecting cardiac development. High-frequency ultrasound imaging has improved 2-D resolution and can provide excellent information on early cardiac development and is an ideal method to detect the impact on cardiac structure and function prior to death.
08:43
Isolation of Endothelial Progenitor Cells from Healthy Volunteers and Their Migratory Potential Influenced by Serum Samples After Cardiac Surgery
0 Views •
Cited by 9 •
2017
Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are crucially involved in the neovascularization of ischemic tissues. This method describes the isolation of human EPCs from peripheral blood, as well as the identification of their migratory potential against serum samples of cardiac surgical patients.
09:20
A Mouse Fetal Skin Model of Scarless Wound Repair
0 Views •
Cited by 24 •
2015
During mammalian development, early gestational skin wounds heal without a scar. Here we detail a reliable and reproducible model of fetal scarless wound healing in the cutaneous dorsum of E16.5 (scarless) and E18.5 (scarring) mouse embryos.
06:31
Transuterine Fetal Tracheal Occlusion Model in Mice
0 Views •
Cited by 2 •
2021
Various animal models of congenital diaphragmatic hernia and fetal tracheal occlusion present advantages and disadvantages regarding ethical issues, cost, surgical difficulty, size, survival rates, and availability of genetic tools. This model provides a new tool to study the impact of both tracheal occlusion and increased luminal pressure on lung development.
FAQs
Balloon dilation can restore forward blood flow through a critically narrowed aortic or pulmonary valve. Improving flow may reduce the consequences of obstruction during gestation and support continued growth of the affected ventricle. Preserving ventricular development is important because it may maintain treatment options that could otherwise be limited when the baby is born.
Ultrasound provides the guidance needed to identify the fetal heart, select the intended valve, and follow the needle and balloon catheter as they pass through the mother’s abdomen and uterus. This imaging is central to directing the intervention while accounting for the positions of the fetus and placenta and monitoring procedural conditions.
Ventricular growth influences the heart’s potential to support circulation after delivery. When severe valve narrowing threatens development, restoring forward flow before birth may help preserve the affected ventricle’s growth. The goal is not simply to enlarge the valve opening, but to improve the developmental trajectory and retain more postnatal treatment possibilities.
Selection requires weighing the anticipated benefit against risks to the fetus, mother, and placenta. Clinicians consider whether a critically narrowed aortic or pulmonary valve may respond to balloon dilation and whether intervention could preserve ventricular development or later treatment options. Because outcomes depend on careful assessment, these cases require specialized expertise and multidisciplinary planning.
Using ultrasound guidance, clinicians pass a needle through the mother’s abdomen and uterus toward the fetal heart. They then guide a balloon catheter through the needle to the critically narrowed aortic or pulmonary valve. Balloon dilation opens the restricted valve to improve forward blood flow, while imaging supports accurate placement throughout the intervention.
These interventions require coordinated evaluation by professionals with expertise in fetal and pediatric cardiology, along with detailed imaging and multidisciplinary planning. The team must consider fetal cardiac anatomy, maternal and placental conditions, procedural access, and the expected effect on development. Specialized expertise is essential because the intervention involves both maternal and fetal care.
Prenatal valve dilation may support ventricular growth and preserve treatment pathways that could be unavailable at birth. It is therefore evaluated not only for its immediate effect on forward blood flow, but also for its potential developmental consequences. The procedure does not eliminate risk, and maternal, fetal, and placental complications remain important considerations when interpreting expected outcomes.