Immediate operative management of the fetus with airway anomalies resulting from congenital malformations

SummaryPrenatal diagnosis has transformed the outcome of fetuses with airway obstruction. The thorough evaluation of prenatal imaging allows for categorizing fetuses with airway compromise into those who will require a special mode of delivery and those who can be delivered without any special resources. The ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) approach allows accessing the airway while the fetus is under placental support, converting a potentially catastrophic situation into a controlled one. An expert multidisciplinary team is the key to success.