State of the Art in Fetal Surgery: Past, Present and Future Perspectives
A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Obstetrics & Gynecology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 July 2024 | Viewed by 810
Special Issue Editors
Interests: prenatal diagnosis; ultrasound; high-risk pregnancy; intrapartum fetal asphyxia; perinatal outcome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: congenital diaphragm hernia; fetal bladder obstruction; fetal spina bifida; twin-twin transfusion syndrome; fetal cystoscopy; prenatal imaging
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that we are launching a Special Issue on “The State of the Art of Fetal Surgery: Past, Present and Future Perspectives”. The focus of this Special Issue is on compiling the ultimate scientific evidence on indications, complications, and outcomes of the main fetal surgeries for congenital conditions.
Fetal surgery is a complex intervention to treat a variety of life-threatening anomalies in babies before they are born. Recently, with the development of genetic diagnosis and imaging technology, we have a better understanding of fetal development, and the field of fetal surgery has evolved significantly.
Currently, the following conditions for fetal surgery can be accepted: twin–twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS); myelomeningocele/open spina bifida; severe, isolated, left congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH); neck masses occluding the upper airways; lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO); and so on. However, the limited physical fetal access and technological aspects, and the problems linked to identifying ideal fetal candidates and optimal timing for antenatal intervention lead to risks such as premature, preterm rupture of membrane (pPROM) and preterm labor, iatrogenic rupture of the uterus after surgery, intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD), intra- and post-operative complications, and potential failure to treat birth defects. The technological advancements of three-dimensional ultrasound and fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) play a central, clinical role in assisting in and planning the timing of surgical intervention. Futuristic imaging such as 3D physical models of congenital anomalies and the most recent the use of physician avatars using metaverse have further supported the modern antenatal diagnostic armamentarium towards generating an immersive reality. The use of digital reality may enhance the bonding of the parents-to-be with the type of fetal malformation and ameliorate the understanding of the genetic counseling and surgical planning. Furthermore, modern fetal surgeons have received new training tools that will be of paramount value in academic training settings and in preparing the procedures.
This Special Issue aims to collect original research papers and review articles which discuss the current state of the art, address existing knowledge gaps, and focus on the innovation of fetal surgery.
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Tonni
Prof. Dr. Rodrigo Ruano
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- fetal surgery
- early intervention
- minimally invasive surgery
- perinatal outcome
- three-dimensional ultrasound
- virtual reality
