Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

In World's First, US Doctors Perform Brain Surgery On Baby Still In Womb

In World's First, US Doctors Perform Brain Surgery On Baby Still In Womb

A baby in the womb with the rare vein of Galen malformation disease was saved in a first-of-its-kind brain surgery.

A team of American doctors has performed groundbreaking brain surgery on a baby who is still in the womb to treat a rare blood vessel abnormality inside the brain, according to CNN.

This rare brain condition is known as "Venus of Galen malformation," and the operation was conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital.

The condition occurs when the blood vessel that carries blood from the brain to the heart doesn't develop correctly. The malformation results in an overwhelming amount of blood stressing the veins and heart and can lead to a cascade of health problems, reported the news outlet.




"Tremendous brain injuries and immediate heart failure after birth are the two big challenges," Dr. Darren Orbach, a radiologist at Boston Children's Hospital and expert in treating VOGM, told CNN.

Giving the details of the complication, he said that typically, infants are treated after they're born using a catheter to insert tiny coils to slow down blood flow. However, the treatment often happens too late.

"Despite advancements in care, "50 to 60 percent of all babies with this condition will get very sick immediately. And for those, it looks like there's about a 40 percent mortality rate. About half of infants that survive experience severe neurological and cognitive issues," Orbach said.

According to CBS News, Baby Denver was growing normally inside her mom when, on a routine ultrasound, doctors discovered she had this rare blood vessel abnormality inside the brain. Many babies with this condition develop heart failure or brain damage and often don't survive. In fact, Denver's heart was struggling, and the malformation was getting dangerously large.

So, at 34 weeks of pregnancy, a team at Boston Children's and the Brigham were able to repair her malformation while she was still in the uterus, using ultrasound guidance, a needle similar to those used for amniocentesis, and tiny coils that were placed directly into the abnormal blood vessels to stop blood flow.

What is a vein of Galen malformation?

According to Boston Children's Hospital, a vein of Galen malformation (VOGM) is a type of rare blood vessel abnormality inside the brain. In VOGM, misshapen arteries in the brain connect directly with veins instead of connecting with capillaries, which helps slow blood flow. This causes a rush of high-pressure blood into the veins. This extra pressure in the veins can cause a number of problems.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
×