Anesthesia for Fetal Surgery

Abstract

Fetal intervention is a fascinating, unique, and rapidly developing field of medicine that involves the expertise and teamwork of many subspecialties including surgery, anesthesia, obstetrics, radiology, and neonatology. It is unique in that one is asked to provide care to two patients – the maternal patient who can communicate her needs and discomforts, is easily monitored, and can readily have medications administered, and the frequently “ hidden ” fetal patient, whom one can only get intermittent glimpses of through advanced imaging techniques. In the fetus, one can only assume or infer nociceptive capabilities, and monitoring is intermittent and oft en unreliable. Drug administration is usually difficult and many times indirect.