At Boston Children’s Hospital, we are working to bring safer and more effective treatments to our patients with bladder exstrophy.
Fetal intervention
Boston Children’s researchers are studying antenatal (before birth) intervention, the process of covering the exstrophy tissue or repairing the exstrophy itself in utero. Investigational efforts in an animal model have proven the capability of taking a biopsy of the fetal bladder tissue, expanding this tissue in the laboratory and having it available for postnatal return to the newborn if necessary.
Anatomical investigation
Detailed analysis of the soft tissue and bony anatomy of the pelvis through an MRI is a staple in the pre- and post-operative CPRE evaluation of children with bladder exstrophy. This analysis will help assess attempts to recreate normal pelvic anatomy and correlate findings with clinical aspects of outcome, such as urinary continence.
