Fetal cardiac intervention and fetal cardiac surgery: where are we in 21st century?

Am J Cardiovasc Dis. 2021 Oct 25;11(5):642-646. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Fetal cardiac intervention is an in-utero cardiac procedure done in fetuses with heart diseases like severe aortic stenosis with evolving hypoplastic left heart syndrome, hypoplastic left heart syndrome with an intact or restricted atrial septum, pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum, fetal heart block obstructed total anomalous pulmonary venous return, pericardial collection. The successful biventricular repair can be done in postnatal life after aortic or pulmonary valvuloplasty. Fetal bypass is very challenging because of different physiology. Low prime volume with the high flow can be used to prevent an inflammatory response.

Keywords: Fetal cardiac intervention; fetal aortic valvuloplasty; fetal bypass; fetal cardiac surgery.