Sherrie Sharp and Jaxson Doctors have repaired the spine of a baby with spina bifida while it was still inside the womb
Sherrie Sharp gave birth to son Jaxson on April 20 (Picture: King’s College Hospital)

A newborn baby is one of the first in the UK to undergo keyhole surgery for spina bifida while still in his mother’s womb.

Sherrie Sharp, 28, discovered her son Jaxson had the birth defect during her 20-week scan in hospital.

The condition means the baby’s spine does not close fully during pregnancy, creating a hole which leaves the spinal cord exposed.

This can cause damage to the spine, often resulting in weakness or total paralysis, loss of sensation in legs, urinary and bowel dysfunction and developmental problems with the brain.

After being given several options by medics, Ms Sharp decided to undergo fetoscopic surgery at the King’s College Hospital in London.

Until recently, women carrying a baby with spina bifida could only choose to repair the spine through invasive surgery that involved making a large incision across the width of the abdomen.

But now the new procedure allows fetal medicine specialists to repair the baby’s spinal cord through tiny incisions in the mother’s stomach.

Sherrie Sharp Doctors have repaired the spine of a baby with spina bifida while it was still inside the womb
The surgery no longer has to be invasive (Picture: King’s College Hospital)

Guided by ultrasound, a fetoscope, which is a long, thin tube with a light and camera at the end, is guided into the uterus.

Surgeons then access the exposed spinal cord and free it from surrounding tissue so that it can be put back into the spinal canal.

A special patch is then used to cover the spinal cord followed by closure of the muscles and skin to prevent spinal fluid from leaking.

Ms Sharp, from Horsham in West Sussex, had coincidentally undergone treatment from the Fetal Medicine Department when she was in her mother’s womb.

She had developed severe anaemia as a baby and received life-saving blood transfusions through her mother’s abdomen.

Speaking about her decision to have the surgery, she said: ‘When we found out Jaxson had spina bifida I was given a number of options.

‘We knew we wanted to keep our baby and I’m here today thanks to the specialists King’s so I wanted my baby to have the same chance.

Sherrie Sharp, Jaxson, and Mr Zabien Doctors have repaired the spine of a baby with spina bifida while it was still inside the womb
Mr Bassel Zebian led the neurosurgical part of the team (Picture: King’s College Hospital)

‘The procedure took over three hours and the specialists were happy with how it went.

‘We’re thrilled with our beautiful boy and even though he arrived earlier than expected, he’s doing well and his back is healing nicely.’

Jaxson was born on April 20, with Ms Sharp stating that she was ‘extremely proud’ of him for ‘staying strong enough’ during surgery in the womb.

Mr Bassel Zebian, Consultant Neurosurgeon at King’s College Hospital, led the neurosurgical part of the team carrying out the procedure.

He said: ‘A number of centres around the world have made great strides in open fetal repair over the last few years and demonstrated the benefit of fetal surgery in reducing the severity of the condition and associated complications.

‘The aim of the fetoscopic approach is to reduce the risks to the mother and future pregnancies whilst still ensuring maximal benefit for the baby.’

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