Two new approaches in intrauterine tracheal occlusion using an ultrathin fetoscope

Objectives/Hypothesis: To introduce and establish a new approach in minimal invasive fetoscopic surgery in order to reduce access trauma and the iatrogenic preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) as a major complication of intrauterine treatment of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Methods: In total, 27 pregnant sheep were operated on using fetoscopes with 1.2 and 1.0 mm optics. We used an elliptic sheath alone with a maximum diameter of 2.6/1.3 mm; in these cases the balloon was placed under ultrasound control. In comparison, we placed the balloon under fetoscopic control using the fetoscopic sheath and a 7F (2.3 mm) introducer. Therefore, the maximum access trauma was not bigger than the diameter of sheath of introducer. Results: With this technique we successfully operated on 22 sheep. The use of real time three‐dimensional ultrasound control distinctly facilitates the operation procedure. Conclusions: Our preliminary findings show that fetoscopic tracheal occlusion using ultrathin fetoscopes and reducing the access trauma on the level of 4.2 or even 2.65 mm 2 could be seen as a method of reducing the rate of PPROM. Laryngoscope, 2010