Development course of indications of intrauterine management for fetal hydrocephalus / 中华围产医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Surgical treatment of intrauterine hydrocephalus can prevent irreversible fetal brain damage through early decompression of the lateral ventricle. In 1980s, the prognosis of fetuses with hydrocephalus who received intrauterine treatment were poor due to non-specific surgical indications, lacking skilled operators, and underdeveloped imaging technology. We review the development of the surgical indications for fetal hydrocephalus in the following four stages the introduction of surgical indications, the exclusion of extracranial malformations, the clear definition of isolated hydrocephalus, and the popularization of micro-array and gene sequencing techniques. The outcomes of fetuses with hydrocephalus who received intrauterine treatment with different selection criteria are summarized to explore the inclusion and exclusion criteria.