World’s First In-Utero Transplant Gives Hope For Treatment Of Potter Syndrome

Potter Syndrome might not be something you’ve heard a lot about unless you’re studying online family nurse practitioner programs, and those who are would know that the condition has a high expectation in infants born with the condition. However, there appears to be a brighter future on the horizon. Scientists in Japan have succeeded in performing the first in-utero transplant on rat fetuses. The breakthrough represents potential new ground for babies diagnosed with Potter Syndrome, and could save the lives of many infants should all further research and study conclude the same way.

What Is Potter Syndrome?

Despite the name, Potter Syndrome (aka “Potter Sequence”) is far from magical. It is a rare condition that affects the development of a fetus in the uterus. It is an incredibly rare condition, affecting only 1 in every 4,000 – 10,000 births. The condition affects the functioning or growth of the kidneys and is often fatal in neonates.

There are multiple causes of Potter Syndrome, namely:

• Underdeveloped or missing kidneys.
• Polycystic kidney disease.
• Prune belly syndrome.
• Urinary tract blockages.
• Amniotic fluid leakage.
• Unmanaged conditions in the birth parent.

Its symptoms are likewise manifold. While in the uterus, the baby is covered in a layer of clear or yellow liquid called “amniotic fluid.” This substance protects the fetus, as well as space for it to grow. When lacking this liquid, it is a sign of Potter Syndrome, and the resulting uterine pressure will affect how the baby grows. This can lead to several distinct anatomical and facial characteristics, referred to as “Potter facies.” It can also cause underdeveloped and/or malformed organs.

Types Of Potter Syndrome

There are five currently recognized variants of Potter Syndrome, characterized by how they occur in the infant. They are:

Classic Potter Syndrome

It is caused by the baby being born without one or both kidneys. This is the most common form of Potter syndrome, and if diagnosed with Potter syndrome as the result of missing both kidneys, the condition is fatal.

Potter Syndrome Type I

This type occurs due to polycystic kidney disease passed from the parents to the child.

Potter Syndrome Type II

This form of Potter Syndrome is diagnosed through kidney growth abnormalities that happen to the fetus in utero.

Potter Syndrome Type III

Type III occurs when Polycystic Kidney disease is passed to the child, but only through one parent, rather than by both.

Potter Syndrome Type IV

The cause of this form of Potter Syndrome is the blockage of the urinary tract because of fetal development anomalies, otherwise called “obstructive uropathy.”

Potter Syndrome is difficult to treat owing to its large number of fatalities stemming from a lack of kidneys and insufficient respiratory function. Although treatment is available, its success will ultimately be based on the severity of heart and lung complications (called “pulmonary hypoplasia”) and what methods are available to support the infant’s kidney functions.

New Hope

There is medical research being conducted constantly, all around the world. Now that research has borne fruit. Experts at Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo performed a ground-breaking experiment. The experiment was based on the practice of xenotransplantation. The term comes from the Greek word Xeno which means “foreign”, and “transplant” which means to implant an organ into a human body.

Xenotransplantation is the process of transplanting non-human organs into or onto human bodies. The process has massive potential to answer the problem of extensive transplant waiting lists but comes with a series of concerns and questions regarding the hygiene and risk of infection in both the donor and recipient bodies.

The experiment involved anethatising pregnant rats, and opening their uterus in order to transplant kidney matter from the donor body to the recipient body. Currently, the experiments have been met with an 88% success rate in the rats used for testing. The details of the full experiment can be found in the report titled “Fetal Kidney Transplatation for In Utero Fetuses.”

New Science, New Era

Although Potter Syndrome is a very rare disease, its high fatality rate renders it a great fear among prospective parents. This emerging surgery presents a more hopeful future for parents whose fetus is at a higher risk of contracting the condition.

Aside from the direct results concerning a new and potentially life-saving treatment for Potter Syndrome, the implications of a new form of treatment are huge, as new technologies and medical techniques always diverge from this kind of research. As this emerging, ground-breaking research continues, who knows what other medical miracles may be discovered as a result of this example of human persistence and ingenuity?

Research is set to continue on these in-utero transplantation experiments, but there isn’t yet any projected start date for human testing and trials.