How Lurie Children’s helped 4-year-old girl defy the odds
The Chicago Institute for Fetal Health at Lurie Children’s is one of just a handful of centers worldwide offering truly comprehensive care for families facing complex prenatal diagnoses. Dr. Aimen Shaaban is leading the way in procedures like fetoscopic spina bifida repair — a groundbreaking surgery performed before birth that protects both mom and baby while opening the door to brighter futures.
CHICAGO – A four-year-old Chicago girl named Olivia is thriving after undergoing a rare fetoscopic surgery to treat spina bifida before she was born.
What we know:
Doctors at the Chicago Institute for Fetal Health at Lurie Children’s Hospital performed the procedure in mid-gestation, when her mother was about 24 weeks pregnant.
The minimally invasive surgery involved entering the uterus and repairing the baby’s spine before birth.
“Basically, in mid-gestation, just after that, around 23, 24, 25 weeks, we’ll actually go in through an incision in the mom’s abdomen, and then, with tiny instruments, enter the uterus and repair, just like we do after birth, repair the back. To cover the spinal cord, to close it, put it back inside, and then cover it with layers of tissue, just like we would do after birth, but we do it before birth,” said Dr. Aimen Shaaban, head of the Chicago Institute for Fetal Health at Lurie Children’s.
Spina bifida occurs when the spine does not fully close during development, often leaving the spinal cord exposed. If untreated, the condition can cause paralysis, leg weakness, hydrocephalus, and brain malformations. Early intervention helps reduce these risks and improves quality of life.
After the surgery, the girl was delivered prematurely at 34 weeks. She spent about two months in the neonatal intensive care unit before going home. Since birth, she has undergone more than 10 additional surgeries related to her condition, including procedures to manage hydrocephalus and kidney complications.
Despite the challenges, her progress has been significant. She learned to walk just after turning 2, now participates in soccer and ballet, and enjoys an active childhood alongside her younger sibling.
Specialists at Lurie Children’s say her case reflects both the resilience of families and the advances in fetal medicine.
The hospital’s multidisciplinary spina bifida program has treated patients for decades, combining neurosurgery, orthopedics and urology to support long-term health.
What’s next:
Looking ahead, doctors hope future advances will make procedures even less invasive and safer for both mother and child. Researchers continue to explore treatments that may one day prevent the condition altogether.
The Chicago Institute for Fetal Health provides resources for families facing similar diagnoses, offering consultations and care options through Lurie Children’s Hospital and Northwestern Medicine.
The Source: The information from this article came from an interview with Olivia and her mom, Lauron, along with Dr. Aimen Shaaban, on ChicagoNOW.
