Development and Validation of a Minimally Invasive Transuterine Experimental Model of Gastroschisis.

Introduction: Perinatal management of gastroschisis remains a subject of substantial research. Current models, including teratogenic, genetic, and surgical approaches, often fail to accurately replicate gastroschisis, exhibiting limitations such as inaccurate phenotyping, low success rates, high mortality, lack of scientific validation, and significant technical challenges. Refined disease models are essential for improving the understanding of GS.

Medical and early developmental outcomes for patients with congenital ventriculomegaly.

Introduction: This study evaluated whether comorbidities such as genetic conditions, other congenital anomalies, infection, and other exposures impact the mortality rate and/or neurologic outcomes of patients with congenital ventriculomegaly.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study that assessed the mortality rate and developmental delay of 91 patients diagnosed with congenital ventriculomegaly followed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center between Jan 1, 2010-Dec 31, 2020.

Results: Of the 91 patients included in the study, 20 (22.

A novel minimally invasive neurosurgical cranial fixation device for improved accuracy of intraventricular catheter placement: an experimental animal study.

Background: External ventricular drain (EVD) insertion is one of the most commonly performed neurosurgical procedures. Herein, we introduce a new concept of a cranial fixation device for insertion of EVDs, that reduces reliance on freehand placement and drilling techniques and provides a simple, minimally invasive approach that provides strong fixation to minimal thickness skulls.

Methods: An experimental device for catheter insertion and fixation was designed and tested in both ex-vivo and in-vivo conditions to assess accurate cannulation of the ventricle and to test the strength of fixation to the skull.

Fetal Tracheal Occlusion Corelates with Normalized YAP Expression and Alveolar Epithelial Differentiation in CDH.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is characterized by incomplete closure of the diaphragm. While the ensuing compression to the fetal lung causes lung hypoplasia, specific cellular phenotypes and developmental signaling defects in the alveolar epithelium in CDH are not fully understood. Employing lung samples from human CDH, a surgical lamb model and a nitrogen rat model, we investigate whether lung compression impairs alveolar epithelial differentiation and Yes-associated protein (YAP)-mediated mechanosensing.

Proof of concept testing of a vascular closure device for use in fetal surgery.

Objective: Prior clinical findings have demonstrated that maternal laparotomy with trans-amniotic trans-uterine suturing of the fetoscopic port site during in utero myelomeningocele repair reduces the risk of membrane rupture. However, due to laparotomy-associated morbidity, we aimed to explore the feasibility of using a vascular closure device for percutaneous trans-amniotic trans-uterine suturing.

Methods: This IRB and IACUC-exempt study utilized 2 strategies for proof-of-concept testing of using the Abbott Perclose ProStyle Device for suture placement; 1.