Chapter 41 - Maternal complications of fetal surgery

Summary

Fetal surgery is a new and rapidly evolving field that holds promise for the treatment of diseases that can be either debilitating or life threatening to the fetus. Maternal mirror, or Ballantyne syndrome is the development of maternal edema along with fetoplacental hydrops. This chapter presents a brief overview of the types of treatment options available to the mother and fetus. Fetal interventions may be classified into two broad categories, minimally invasive and open fetal interventions. The list of potential intraoperative anesthetic complications is the same as would occur during any anesthetic for any pregnant patient. A variety of maternal complications are reported after fetal surgery. Some of these occur in the immediate perioperative period and some do not present until subsequent pregnancies. Unique considerations may arise when treating these patients, and they should be cared for in specialized centers with appropriate experience and infrastructure.