Indonesia has marked a new milestone in the field of medicine\nfollowing the successful performance of the country\u2019s first open fetal\nsurgery. The operation was performed on a foetus with myelomeningocele,\none of the most severe forms of spina bifida, a congenital spinal\ndefect.<\/p>\n
The procedure was carried out by a multidisciplinary team from RSAB\nHarapan Kita in collaboration with the team from Mater Mothers\u2019\nHospital, Brisbane, Australia, on Tuesday (25\/08\/2026). Deputy Minister\nof Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono stated that this success is a\nsignificant milestone in the development of Indonesian healthcare\nservices, particularly in managing congenital abnormalities while the\nbaby is still in the womb.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the first open fetal surgery in Indonesia, meaning surgery\non the foetus while still in the womb. This is an extraordinary\nbreakthrough, and it was all performed by Indonesian doctors,\u201d said\nDante, as quoted from a Ministry of Health statement on Wednesday\n(02\/09\/2026).<\/p>\n
Myelomeningocele is a congenital defect of the spine and nervous\nsystem that occurs when the spinal column and neural tissues do not\nclose completely during fetal development. This condition can lead to\nvarious serious issues, ranging from neurological impairment, paralysis,\nand bladder and bowel dysfunction, to an increased risk of\nhydrocephalus.<\/p>\n
Such abnormalities can be identified during pregnancy through\nfetomaternal ultrasonography (USG). Once a diagnosis is established,\npatients must undergo a series of examinations and screenings, including\ngenetic testing, before fetal surgery is considered.<\/p>\n
The Head of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Team at RSAB Harapan Kita,\nGatot Abdurrazak, stated that the patient in this inaugural operation\nwas referred with spina bifida when the gestational age reached 18\nweeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis provided the opportunity to perform the repair because the\nwindow is only available until 26 weeks. We moved quickly and received\nfull support from the management and the entire team,\u201d said Gatdo.<\/p>\n
Open fetal surgery is a complex procedure because the operation is\nperformed while the foetus is still in the womb. The mother first\nreceives anaesthesia. Doctors then perform a controlled opening of the\nuterus to access the foetus and repair the myelomeningocele defect.<\/p>\n
Once the repair is complete, the foetus is placed back into the\nuterus. The uterus is then closed and returned to the mother\u2019s body so\nthat the pregnancy can continue.<\/p>\n
The Head of the Neurosurgery Team at RSAB Harapan Kita, Alfi Aulia\nRahmah, explained that myelomeningocele is the most severe form of spina\nbifida. Repairing it while the baby is still in the womb is expected to\nreduce further nerve damage and suppress the risk of long-term\ncomplications, including hydrocephalus.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not just a neurosurgical task. Everyone plays a vital role.\nIn intrauterine procedures, the crucial element is maintaining foetal\nstability. If the foetus becomes unstable, the surgery must be halted,\u201d\nsaid Alfi.<\/p>\n
The operation involved many medical disciplines, including\nneurosurgeons, fetomaternal specialists, obstetricians, gynaecologists,\nanaesthetists, nurses, and other support staff. The team from Mater\nMothers\u2019 Hospital, Australia, assisted in the surgery. Maternal Fetal\nMedicine specialist Glenn Radford noted that the first operation\nproceeded well without complications.<\/p>\n
\u201cYesterday, in a historic event in Indonesia, we worked alongside our\ncolleagues from Harapan Kita to perform the first surgery, and the\nresults were very good. No complications occurred,\u201d said Radford.<\/p>\n
Capabilities for fetal therapy have actually been developed at RSAB\nHarapan Kita for over two decades. The hospital has been performing\nintrauterine transfusions since 2005 and has developed fetoscopic\nprocedures since 2011.<\/p>\n
A number of fetal treatments have also been developed, including\nvesicoamniotic shunting, thoracoamniotic shunting, and fetoscopic laser\nfor treating twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). RSAB Harapan Kita\nhas handled approximately 200 fetoscopic laser cases.<\/p>\n
The President Director of RSAB Harapan Kita, Reni Wigati, stated that\nthe hospital\u2019s multidisciplinary team is now prepared. Following the\nconclusion of the Australian team\u2019s mentorship, RSAB aims to continue\nproviding open fetal surgery services independently.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollowing this, RSAB will proceed with subsequent patients and also\ntransfer this capability to other hospitals that specialise in\nfetomaternal care,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
This capability will later be expanded through a mentorship programme\nso that similar services can be available in other hospitals. Dante\nnoted that the success of this first operation demonstrates that the\ncapabilities of Indonesia\u2019s medical personnel and medical technology are\nadvancing, meaning many procedures previously performed abroad can now\nbe conducted domestically.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe technology is extraordinary, and the skills of our doctors in\nIndonesia are now capable. This serves as a gift for the 17th of August\n[Indonesian Independence Day] for Indonesian medicine, as we can now\nperform open fetal surgery on the first Indonesian baby,\u201d said\nDante.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/first-in-indonesia-doctors-successfully-perform-open-fetal-surgery-1788317787", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }