Fetoscopy--a new endoscopic approach

A total of 105 fetoscopies were performed either prior to therapeutic abortions or, in 29 cases, for diagnostic purposes. In these latter cases the fetuses were at increased risk for congenital syndromes, limb deformities, cleft lip and palate or neural-tube defects. The procedure is performed transabdominally under local anaesthesia. The studies confirmed the practicability of the fetoscopic technique as described. Done under direct vision, using simultaneous real-time ultrasound-scanning, the fetoscope can be introduced without damage to fetus and placenta. In diagnostic cases, a total visualization of the entire fetus is not always necessary, as recognition and examination of specific fetal parts is often sufficient for prenatal diagnosis. Viewed in this way, the rate of diagnostic fetoscopies reached 78%. In these cases, the targets chosen for inspection could, in fact, be reached by the fetoscope. A total inspection of the fetus was aimed at in those fetoscopies performed prior to planned abortions in order to gain practice, and this was achieved in 42% of cases. In 5 of the 29 patients already mentioned, the pregnancy was terminated immediately after fetoscopy, and in 24 cases pregnancy was continued. Abortions have so far been recorded in 4 cases, not all of which were necessarily due to the fetoscopy, however. In general, fetoscopy appears to hold less danger for mother and child than had previously been anticipated.