Pioneering fetal brain surgery aims to prevent newborn heart failure
NCT ID NCT04434729
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests a one-time procedure to treat a rare brain blood vessel problem called Vein of Galen malformation while the baby is still in the womb. Doctors use a needle through the mother's abdomen and the fetal skull to place tiny coils that block the abnormal blood flow. The goal is to prevent severe complications after birth, such as heart failure and brain damage. The trial includes 7 fetuses and compares results to past cases without this treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- detachable platinum coils (Target XL and XXL Detachable Coil, Stryker Neurovascular)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a way to treat a severe brain blood vessel condition before birth, potentially preventing heart failure and brain damage in newborns.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small study with only 7 participants and no control group. The procedure carries risks for both fetus and mother, including bleeding, preterm delivery, or fetal death.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.