About us

Find out about our multidisciplinary research transforming fetal therapy and surgery.

Who we are and what we do

GIFT-Surg is an international research project developing the technology, tools and training necessary to make fetal surgery a viable possibility in the treatment of congenital birth defects such as spina bifida, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome and congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Our vision is to develop new instrumentation and software that will provide unprecedented capabilities for operating in utero, including enhanced pre-operative surgical planning, intraoperative guidance and advanced manipulation capabilities.

The Clinical Challenge

Our technology is developed to treat:

Spina Bifida

Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Spina bifida is a condition that develops during the first weeks of pregnancy when the bones around the spinal cord don’t join together properly.

Each case is unique and the size and location of the opening can affect how much the condition affects lower body function. The condition can also affect brain development. This animation explains treatment options for a type of spina bifida known as myelomeningocele, or MMC.

For impartial support and advice you can contact the Shine Charity, who specialise in supporting adults, children and babies with spina bifida and hydrocephalus.

Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, or TTTS, is a condition that can affect twins which share a placenta during pregnancy.

The placenta plays an important role in supplying blood and oxygen to the babies before birth, but sometimes an imbalance can develop which affects the development of both twins. This animation explains treatment options for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.

For impartial support and advice, you can contact the Twins Trust, the national charity for twin pregnancies.

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, or CDH, is a condition that can occur when the diaphragm doesn’t form completely during the early stages of pregnancy.

The diaphragm usually separates the abdominal organs from the chest organs, but when CDH occurs the abdominal organs can move into the chest. This can affect the growth of the baby’s lungs. This animation explores what happens when CDH develops, how it is diagnosed and possible treatment options.

CDH UK is a charity which offers support, information and advice on the condition.