For the first time in Britain .. Surgery for a fetus in the womb of his mother

For the first time in Britain, doctors have a difficult operation for a fetus - in the womb of his mother - with a hole in his spine.

The doctors used a small surgical opening to repair the spine of the baby Jackson, in the womb of his mother Chery Sharp, who had previously been told she could not have children, after 27 weeks of pregnancy at King's College Hospital in London.

Dr. Marta Santorum-Perez, an expert on embryo surgery, who performed the surgery, told the BBC that many of those diagnosed with spinal cord abnormalities choose to terminate the pregnancy or undergo open surgery.

Spina bifida or herniated hernia is a type of neural tube defect occurs when the spinal cord does not develop properly in the uterus, and the nerves are exposed to amniotic fluid, leading to problems in the intestines, bladder and legs.

Endoscopic surgery involves less surgical intervention and less risk. The process involves the introduction of a camera and small instruments in the womb to cover exposed nerves in the spinal cord to prevent further damage from amniotic fluid.

Santorum-Perez said the new procedure was not a cure for spina bifida, but it would certainly improve the lives of children born with the disease.