Prenatal treatment
FETO is a high-precision fetal therapy procedure. It should be performed in a specialized healthcare center, with experienced pediatric surgeons and facilities for taking proper care of a newborn in case of preterm delivery or any other FETO-related complications. The most suitable center is a highest-level (tertiary) referral hospital for CDH patients, which offers prenatal diagnosis, in-utero (FETO) and neonatal procedures, and has a delivery department and an intensive care unit for children with CDH, all in one building (e.g. the Children’s Teaching Hospital in Warsaw, located at ul. Żwirki i Wigury 63A). The FETO procedure is performed in an operating theatre setting. Mother receives epidural (commonly given for pain relief in childbirth) or local anesthesia. Next, an injection is a made through the skin on the mother’s abdomen to anesthetize and immobilize the fetus. In the following step, a thin 3-mm tube is inserted into the uterus and a special instrument (fetoscope) is placed inside the tube to visualize the fetus. The fetoscope is guided through the baby’s mouth into the airways, where a balloon is placed.