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[Embryo-fetoscopy--present possibilities of endoscopy in obstetrics]
Objective:
The introduction of the embryofetoscopy--a new method of prenatal diagnosis used in the 1st trimester of the pregnancy.
Setting:
Institute for the Care of Mother and Child, Prague.
Design:
Pilot clinical study.
Methods:
The embryofetoscopy was carried out in pregnant women in the 7th or 8th conceptional week who asked for a legal abortion of the pregnancy. We used the embryofetoscope with diameter of 0.8 mm (made by K. Storz, Tuttlingen, Germany). The trocar of the embryofetoscope was inserted into the animal cavity transabdominally always guided by ultrasound. It is possible to perform the examination in local anaesthesia. A further trocar with two canals--one for insertion of the embryofetoscope, the second of the needle with diameter of 0.6 mm--is designated for genetic indicated sampling of embryonal tissues or for incidental application of gene or stem cells therapy in the future.
Results:
The videocamera documented our embryoscopical findings till this time in 7 cases. On the pictures 1-8 are the face, scull, eye, ear, extremities, genitals and umbilical cord of the embryo in the 7th conceptional week.
Conclusions:
The applications of the embryofetoscopy are very wide. It allows us to obtain not only new knowledge about the early development of the normal and affected embryo in vivo, but it simultaneously opens new ways for the therapy of the embryo in the future and for fetal surgery guided by embryoscope in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of the pregnancy.