Several sets of identical twins from across New England reunited today with the physicians who saved their lives. Each set of twins underwent laser surgery while in their mother’s womb to correct a condition in the placenta that could be fatal for one or both twins.

Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Women & Infants Hospital hosted the first reunion for patients diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) and who underwent surgery at the Fetal Treatment Program. A joint venture between Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Women & Infants Hospital and Brown Medical School, the Fetal Treatment Program is the only site in New England that performs the operation.

Nearly 60 people–patients and their families, and physicians and staff at the hospitals–celebrated the lives of the children saved by this procedure and hoped to raise awareness that surgery is an option for unborn twins with TTTS. Families met with physicians and staff to introduce their toddlers and there were activities and interactive musical entertainment for the children.

Families reunited today with pediatric surgeon Francois Luks, MD, of Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and maternal-fetal medicine specialist Stephen Carr, MD, of Women and Infants Hospital. Together with maternal-fetal medicine specialists Michael Paglia, MD, and Edward Chien, MD, and surgeons Christopher Muratore, MD, and Thomas Tracy, MD, the physicians have performed more than 30 operations to correct TTTS.

Affecting up to 15 percent of all identical twins, TTTS is a rare condition in the placenta resulting in disproportionate flow of blood between identical twins. As a result, one baby receives too much blood, which causes its cardiovascular system to become overtaxed, while the other twin loses blood to the sibling and may fail to thrive.

For women less than 24 weeks pregnant, there is an 80 to 100 percent likelihood of losing one or both babies if TTTS progresses and is left untreated. Even if the fetuses survive until birth, they may suffer severe neurological damage. Traditional treatment is amnioreduction or tapping excess fluid from the placenta, but the results are not as effective as in-utero laser surgery–the high risks of death or neurological deficiencies remain.

The in-utero fetal operation performed through the Fetal Treatment Program greatly improves the survival rate; there is a 75 percent chance at least one twin will survive, and the risk of long-term birth defects for both twins is also greatly reduced. Established in June 2000, the Fetal Treatment Program is the first and still the only site in New England to perform fetal surgery to correct TTTS. Since its inception, more than 30 families have benefited from fetal surgery through the program.

More about the Fetal Treatment Program