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Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children Performs Life-Saving Surgery on Unborn Twins
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In collaboration with HealthONE Center for Maternal Fetal Health, Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children (RMHC) made headlines last month for giving a pair of twins a chance at life before they were even born. For the first-time ever, pediatric surgeons at the HCA Healthcare-affiliated hospital performed a rare fetal procedure for one of the most dangerous conditions you’ve likely never heard of – Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS).
Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome is an unpredictable condition that affects identical twins who share the same placenta. TTTS happens when abnormal blood vessels within the placenta cause an imbalance of blood flow to the twins. One twin (the donor) is at risk for dehydration due to lack of blood, while the other baby (the recipient) is subject to heart failure because of too much blood. If left untreated, TTTS has an 80 percent fatality rate.
With the addition of Dr. Martin Walker, a world-renowned, maternal-fetal expert from Seattle, the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children can now perform life-saving surgery on unborn twins affected by this condition. The procedure, which takes less than 30 minutes, uses a laser light to disconnect the abnormal vessels within the placenta and separate the babies’ circulation.
Dr. Walker, who has treated over 400 patients with unmatched outcomes, is a welcomed addition to the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children family. Our partnership with him allows us to bring the best to our patients here in Denver.
Meet the new mom who, at 23 weeks pregnant, recently underwent the minimally-invasive surgery at RMHC. She then celebrated the birth of her healthy twin boys at 35 weeks old.
Take a look at the success story here.
Chief of Pediatric Surgery, Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children
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