Surgeons at Orlando, Fla.-based Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies performed t three in utero spine surgery on infants with spina bifida, according to WMFE.
The procedure entails repositioning the baby's spine and closing an opening in the back. Babies born with spina bifida often face an increased chance of getting infections, suffer mobility problems and have digestive issues, according to the CDC. Addressing the health issue before babies are born can help improve both short- and long-term health outcomes.
"We look forward to opening our doors and to make the Central Florida region … a destination nationally and internationally for parents to come and treat their babies with spina bifida even before they’re born," Samer Elbabaa, MD, pediatric neurosurgeon at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies, told WMFE.