Educational clinical resource
Fetal surgery assessment in Abu Dhabi
An evidence-led Abu Dhabi pathway for fetal surgery assessment, planned fetoscopic procedures, candidacy, maternal safety, governance, and referral.
- 01Fetoscopy
- 02TTTS laser
- 03FETO
- 04Multidisciplinary care
How to navigate Fetal surgery assessment in Abu Dhabi
An educational path from the first question to the next step. It does not replace individual assessment.
- 01State the trigger
Give the diagnosis, scan finding, symptom, or clinical question driving referral.
- 02Send the essentials
Include dating, reports, images, results, history, medications, and contact details.
- 03Set the urgency
Separate emergency assessment, time-sensitive specialist review, and planned consultation.
- 04Choose the pathway
Direct the case to diagnostics, multidisciplinary review, or the treatment hub.
- 05Coordinate the local route
Confirm the appointment, required records, and appropriate pathway through Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital.
Direct answer
Fetal surgery assessment in Abu Dhabi is coordinated through Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital. The advanced programme is accepting referrals now for fetoscopy, fetoscopic laser ablation for TTTS, FETO, fetal transfusion, and assessment for fetoscopic spina bifida repair.
Planned does not mean currently operational. A referral requests expert diagnosis and candidacy review; it does not promise an operation. Final availability depends on hospital readiness, governance, the maternal and fetal condition, technical feasibility, consent, and the evidence for the specific procedure.
Different operations solve different mechanisms
TTTS laser aims to interrupt abnormal placental vascular connections in eligible monochorionic twins. FETO temporarily occludes the fetal trachea in carefully selected severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia to stimulate lung growth. Fetoscopy is an access technique used for specific diagnostic or operative objectives. Fetal transfusion treats selected fetal anaemia through image-guided vascular access.
Fetoscopic spina bifida repair must not be described as equivalent to established open prenatal repair. NICE guidance states that fetoscopic prenatal repair of open neural tube defects should be used only in research. Any Abu Dhabi pathway must therefore operate under appropriate research or innovation governance and final institutional approval.
The six decision gates
- Diagnostic certainty: anatomy, mechanism, associated findings, genetics, and prognosis are sufficiently defined.
- Severity threshold: the untreated risk is substantial enough to justify maternal and fetal procedural risk.
- Gestational window: intervention can occur within the evidence-based and technically feasible period.
- Maternal safety: anaesthesia, bleeding, infection, thromboembolism, uterine access, and future pregnancy implications are acceptable.
- Technical route: placenta, membranes, fetal position, cervix, scars, and equipment permit a realistic operation.
- System readiness: post-procedure surveillance, emergency response, delivery, neonatology, paediatric surgery, and long-term follow-up are secured.
Failure at any gate may lead to further investigation, surveillance, delivery planning, postnatal treatment, external referral, or a recommendation not to operate.
Two patients are involved
Fetal surgery exposes the pregnant patient to risk for the potential benefit of the fetus. Counselling must therefore describe maternal risk, fetal risk, chance of technical completion, possibility of no benefit, recurrence or residual disease, preterm birth, emergency delivery, neonatal treatment, and implications for later pregnancies.
The outcome conversation should go beyond survival. Depending on the condition, meaningful outcomes may include neurological function, respiratory morbidity, prematurity, mobility, bladder and bowel function, repeat surgery, hospitalisation, and maternal recovery.
What to send for case review
Provide pregnancy dating, complete ultrasound reports and original images, fetal echocardiography and MRI when relevant, serial progression, Doppler, cervical length, placental map, maternal history and medication, genetic and infection results, previous uterine surgery, and a direct number for the referring clinician.
The referral should state the exact decision required and any known deadline. A time-sensitive TTTS referral, suspected severe fetal anaemia, or a balloon-removal emergency cannot be handled like a routine second-opinion request.
Location boundaries
Fetal procedures are planned only at Airport Road Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Full diagnostics and referral are available at Mediclinic Al Jowhara Hospital in Al Ain, with referral pathways through Mediclinic facilities in Dubai. The Al Ain and Dubai pathways are not represented as fetal-surgery locations.
What matters clinically
A credible programme is defined as much by the cases it declines, redirects, or manages without surgery as by the operations it performs. Selection, governance, maternal safety, honest evidence, outcome audit, and reliable rescue plans are part of the treatment.
Heavy bleeding, fluid loss, severe pain, contractions, reduced fetal movements, fever, breathlessness, collapse, or acute maternal illness requires immediate emergency assessment and should not wait for electronic referral.