In‑utero repair of gastroschisis enables early discharge for newborns

For the third time, surgeons performed an in‑utero operation to correct gastroschisis, a rare birth defect where the intestines protrude through the abdominal wall. The procedure was carried out at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston when the fetus, later named Theo, was 26 weeks pregnant. Small instruments were used to push the intestines back into the abdominal cavity, and Theo was released from the hospital just four days after birth.

Professor Paolo de Coppi, a pediatric surgeon quoted to the BBC, said the technique “makes an enormous difference for families that can go home with their newborn shortly after delivery.” The study’s lead, Dr. Michael Belfort, added that the uterus is becoming “a new area for surgical innovation” and that similar approaches could eventually be used for heart and lung repairs before birth. Swedish experts at Karolinska University Hospital, including Peter Conner, acknowledged the promise but warned that the risks to the mother and pregnancy limit immediate adoption in Sweden.

The clinical trial will continue to monitor the long‑term safety and outcomes of the three fetuses treated so far, with the hope that in‑utero correction can reduce the need for multiple post‑natal surgeries and shorten hospital stays for affected infants.