Anesthesia-Related Factors Associated with Preterm Labor and Delivery after Open Fetal Surgery

Fetal surgery, such as for meningomyelocele repair, has a clear clinical fetal benefit. In patients who undergo in utero repair of meningomyelocele, for example, there is reduced long-term disease morbidity. However, despite the beneficial effects of early intervention, women who undergo fetal interventions have an increased risk of preterm labor and delivery. Several surgery-related factors have been described but no specific anesthesia-related factors.

The aim of this study was to determine if any aspects of the perioperative anesthetic management influenced maternal complications following in utero surgery.

This was a retrospective chart review of the anesthetic management of mothers and fetuses who presented for open and fetoscopic myelomeningocele repair, between 2011 and 2015, at Texas Children's Fetal Center®.

Forty-six women underwent open or fetoscopic repair of neural tube defects at our institution. We found the maternal heart rate in the postoperative period to be associated with a higher likelihood of preterm labor, but not delivery. The odds of having preterm delivery was higher for nulliparous patients and those with lower intraoperative diastolic pressure.

Our findings confirm what has been previously reported regarding the association of nulliparity with preterm delivery. Additionally, this study highlights the importance of maintaining stable perioperative hemodynamics during the intraoperative and postoperative phases of care for patients undergoing in utero surgery.