The Fetal Treatment Center at UCSF Children's Hospital was the first institution to develop fetal surgery techniques. Here is a timeline of the events that have made the Fetal Treatment Center the world leader in diagnosing and treating fetal birth defects.
| 1981 | Open fetal surgery was performed at UCSF. A vesicostomy was placed in a fetus with a urinary obstruction. |
| 1981 | Successful placement of a fetal urinary catheter (vesicoamniotic shunt) for posterior urethral valves. |
| 1989 | Successful open fetal surgery for congenital diaphragmatic hernia. |
| 1990 | Uterine stapling device for fetal surgery was designed at UCSF. |
| 1990 | Successful fetal resection of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung (CCAM). Since that time more than 20 additional CCAM resections have been accomplished. |
| 1991 | Radiotelemitters were used to monitor the fetuses condition during and after fetal surgery. Since then telemitters have been utilized after fetal surgery to monitor the vital signs of the fetus. NASA is working with the UCSF Fetal Treatment Team to miniaturize and improve the radiotelemitter monitors, particularly for fetoscopic procedures. |
| 1992 | Open fetal surgery for resection of a sacrococcygeal teratoma. |
| 1993 | The EXIT procedure was implemented and since has been performed over 40 times on infants with various types of airway obstruction such as CCAM, cystic hygroma and tracheal obstruction. |
| 1994 | An NIH-sponsored clinical trial for fetal surgery was done at UCSF for open repair of a fetus with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. That study was completed in May of 1996. |
| 1996 | Successfully performed fetoscopic temporary tracheal occlusion for CDH. |
| 1996 | Successfully resuscitated a fetus during open fetal surgery for sacrococcygeal teratoma. |
| 1998 | Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of an SCT. |
| 1999 | Successful fetoscopic laser treatment of a single A-V communication in twin-twin transfusion syndrome 1999 NIH-sponsored trial for fetoscopic surgery for CDH. |
| 2001 | An NIH-sponsored clinical trial for fetal surgery was done at UCSF for temporary tracheal occlusion of fetuses with severe left congenital diaphragmatic hernia. |
Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 8, 2007
