Antenatal corrective cardiac surgery: An emerging area for technological innovation

The possibility of intervening in utero on certain cardiac malformations with the intent to prevent secondary major alterations in structure and function is becoming a reality. Central to progress in this area is the development of instrumentation specifically designed for minimally invasive cardiac surgery in the fetus. The present review introduces a novel set of devices for interventional cardiology, based on current knowledge and prior experience, and highlights their prospective application. In meeting this objective, particular importance is assigned to the synergic contribution of diverse disciplines, both medical and nonmedical.