Surgical techniques for open fetal repair of myelomeningocele.

The current standard for fetal repair of myelomeningocele is an open exposure of the gravid uterus with control of the amniotic membranes, and then a multi-layer closure of the fetal defect. The nature of the surgical repair has evolved and requires a series of steps that take into account the delicate nature of the fetal tissues. The individual surgical steps are described including potential pitfalls.