AIIMS Delhi just pulled off something incredible: They performed India's first open fetal surgery to fix a serious spinal defect in an unborn baby.
The six-hour operation took place at 25 weeks of pregnancy, aiming to protect the baby's spinal cord from further damage.
It's a big step for Indian healthcare, and it happened on November 12.
Dr Deepak Gupta led multidisciplinary team
Led by Dr. Deepak Gupta, more than 30 clinicians and nurses teamed up for this challenging surgery, using advanced imaging and surgical tools at the Neurosciences Centre.
The team spent more than five weeks planning every detail and counseling the family, with all costs covered under a government scheme.
While this gives hope for better outcomes, AIIMS says ongoing care will still be needed after birth; they are working to make such advanced treatments more accessible to families in need.