Babies can survive TTTS or Twin to Twin Transfusion syndrome, especially with early enough diagnoses and treatment.
Laser surgery or the Solomon technique can be used to treat the TTTS and allow both twin babies to survive.
At least one twin survives in 80 percent of cases of TTTS and both twins survive in around half of the pregnancies when treated with laser surgery.
TTTS or twin to twin transfusion syndrome can correct itself sometimes, especially in the early stages.
In a great number of cases and most particularly at stage 1 TTTS can resolve spontaneously without intervention.
Although it's still possible for complications and progression of TTTS to occur.
If TTTS doesn't resolve itself the TTTS can be fixed through surgery known as the Solomon technique.
The Solomon technique is a fetoscopic laser ablation procedure that is used to treat twin to twin transfusion syndrome.
The Solomon technique involves coagulating not only the visible anastomoses or connections that are between the twins blood vessels but also a line of tissue that is along the vascular equator of the placenta.
The Solomon technique aims to improve the outcomes by reducing the risk of residual anastomoses and recurrence of twin to twin transfusion.
Performing the Solomon technique involves drawing of a thin photocoagulation line within the laser from one placental edge to the other and connecting the laser dots.
The Solomon technique is a specific method of laser photocoagulation and is a type of fetal therapy, which is a procedure that is done on the fetus while the fetuses are still in the womb.
The core principle of the Solomon technique is to interrupt the abnormal blood flow between the twin fetuses which characterizes the twin to twin transfusion syndrome.
The surgeon uses a small telescope called a fetoscope and a laser to visualize and treat the placenta.
Then the laser is used to burn or cauterize and seal off the connecting blood vessels between the twins.
And unlike simpler techniques that only target the visible anastomoses, the Solomon technique also creates a line of coagulation along the placental surface and separates the vascular territories of the two twins.
The line of coagulation helps to prevent the formation of any new anastomoses and reduces risks of twin to twin transfusion syndrome from reoccurring.