Israeli doctors save unborn baby with pioneering in-womb surgery
Beilinson team performs first fetal operation of its kind in Israel after tumour triggered life-threatening heart failure during pregnancy
Israeli doctors have carried out a groundbreaking fetal operation to save an unborn baby after a rare placental tumour caused life-threatening heart failure during pregnancy.
Specialists at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah performed what is believed to be the first procedure of its kind in Israel, intervening while the baby remained in the womb to prevent the condition from becoming fatal.
The emergency developed when a routine pregnancy scan at 25 weeks identified an unusual tumour on the placenta. Further examinations revealed the growth was disrupting blood circulation between the placenta and the foetus, placing severe strain on the baby’s heart.
With the pregnancy still at an early stage and premature delivery carrying significant risks, doctors decided the safest option was to treat the problem before birth.
The procedure was led by Dr Yuval Gielchinsky, director of Beilinson’s Fetal Medicine Centre, alongside Dr Kinneret Tenenbaum, head of the hospital’s Twin Pregnancy Clinic.
Using a minimally invasive endoscopic technique, the team entered the uterus and located the blood vessels supplying the tumour. They then cauterised the vessels, cutting off the blood flow that was allowing the growth to continue.
“The only option left was endoscopic intervention,” Gielchinsky said, noting that the treatment could only be attempted because the tumour was positioned in an accessible area of the placenta.
Doctors said placental tumours are uncommon and can sometimes remain harmless throughout pregnancy. However, in more severe cases, they can divert blood away from the foetus, leading to serious complications including heart failure, anaemia, low platelet counts and excessive amniotic fluid. They can also increase health risks for the mother, including preeclampsia.
Following the operation, the mother was monitored by Beilinson’s maternal-fetal medicine team before being discharged home. She continues to receive specialist follow-up care as the pregnancy progresses.
The case is being hailed as a significant milestone for Israeli fetal medicine, highlighting advances that allow doctors to treat serious conditions before a baby is born rather than waiting until after delivery.
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