A history of fetal surgery

Over the past 3 decades, fetal surgery for congenital disease has evolved from merely a fanciful concept to a medical field in its own right. Techniques for open hysterotomy, minimal-access hysteroscopy, and image-guided percutaneous fetal access have become well established, first in animal models and subsequently in humans. At the same time, major advances in fetal imaging and diagnosis, anesthesia, and tocolysis have allowed fetal intervention to become a vital tool for subsets of patients who would otherwise endure significant morbidity and mortality. This article offers a concise overview of the history of fetal surgery, from its tumultuous early days to its current status as an important means for the early treatment of potentially devastating congenital anomalies.