title: Two new approaches in intrauterine tracheal occlusion using an ultrathin fetoscope.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To introduce and establish a new approach in minimal invasive fetoscopic surgery in order to reduce access trauma and the iatrogenic preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) as a major complication of intrauterine treatment of congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 27 pregnant sheep were operated on using fetoscopes with 1.2 and 1.0 mm optics. We used an elliptic sheath alone with a maximum diameter of 2.6/1.3 mm; in these cases the balloon was placed under ultrasound control. In comparison, we placed the balloon under fetoscopic control using the fetoscopic sheath and a 7F (2.3 mm) introducer. Therefore, the maximum access trauma was not bigger than the diameter of sheath of introducer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With this technique we successfully operated on 22 sheep. The use of real time three-dimensional ultrasound control distinctly facilitates the operation procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary findings show that fetoscopic tracheal occlusion using ultrathin fetoscopes and reducing the access trauma on the level of 4.2 or even 2.65 mm(2) could be seen as a method of reducing the rate of PPROM.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany. tchirikov@uni-mainz.de
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Tchirikov
authors: Georgios
authors: G
authors: Gatopoulos
authors: Miriam
authors: M
authors: Strohner
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Puhl
authors: Joscha
authors: J
authors: Steetskamp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021721:Balloon Occlusion / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D020669:Fetoscopes; D005332:Fetoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006548:Hernia, Diaphragmatic / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012756:Sheep; D014132:Trachea