Fact check: In 2016, a team at Texas Children’s Hospital performed one of the most complex procedures in modern medicine.

Verdict: verified — Trust Score 95/100

This Instagram post accurately recounts a real and well-documented fetal surgery performed at Texas Children's Hospital in 2016 by Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye. All details regarding the procedure, the condition, and the outcome are factually correct and supported by numerous credible sources.

Platform
instagram
Source author
mindset.therapy — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.instagram.com/p/DWUgm5vD3nv/?igsh=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==
Verified on
March 30, 2026
Verification ID
w1v5d0xDu7M

Original content reviewed

Platform: INSTAGRAM Author: @mindset.therapy --- Caption/Description --- In 2016, a team at Texas Children’s Hospital performed one of the most complex procedures in modern medicine. A fetus at 23 weeks was diagnosed with a massive sacrococcygeal teratoma, a rare tumor that can overload the heart and become fatal before birth. Dr Oluyinka Olutoye, a Nigerian born pediatric surgeon, helped lead the open fetal surgery. The fetus was partially removed from the womb while still connected to the placenta, allowing surgeons to remove most of the tumor and then return her to continue developing. The pregnancy continued to 36 weeks. She was later born safely, and the remaining tumor tissue was removed after birth. It remains one of the most remarkable examples of how advanced fetal surgery can change outcomes before life even begins outside the womb. #MedicalBreakthrough #FetalSurgery #ScienceFacts #MedicalInnovation #Healthcare --- Carousel/Slides (8 items) --- Slide 1 (image): Text: THIS DOCTOR REMOVED A 23-WEEK-OLD BABY FROM THE WOMB, PERFORMED SURGERY ON A DANGEROUS TUMOR, AND PLACED HER BACK TO BE BORN MONTHS LATER SWIPE FOR MORE Slide 2 (image): Text: IN 2016, NIGERIAN BORN PEDIATRIC SURGEON DR OLUYINKA OLUTOYE HELPED PERFORM THE RARE FETAL SURGERY AT TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL. Slide 3 (image): Text: AT JUST 23 WEEKS, THE FETUS HAD A MASSIVE SACROCOCCYGEAL TERATOMA THAT WAS PULLING BLOOD FROM HER BODY AND PUTTING EXTREME STRAIN ON HER TINY HEART. Slide 4 (image): Slide 5 (image): Text: SURGEONS PARTIALLY LIFTED HER FROM THE WOMB WHILE SHE STAYED CONNECTED TO THE PLACENTA, REMOVED MOST OF THE TUMOR, & PLACED HER BACK TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING. Slide 6 (image): Text: THE PREGNANCY CONTINUED TO 36 WEEKS AND SHE WAS LATER BORN HEALTHY AFTER DOCTORS REMOVED THE REMAINING TUMOR TISSUE. UAMS Children's Hospital METRONICA CLAUDIO, MD PHD PEDIATRIC SURGERY Slide 7 (image): Slide 8 (image): Text: WE POST CONTENT THAT EXPANDS YOU

Claims analyzed (6)

  1. verified: In 2016, a team at Texas Children’s Hospital performed one of the most complex procedures in modern medicine.
    Multiple news articles and hospital information confirm that in 2016, Texas Children's Hospital performed a groundbreaking fetal surgery for sacrococcygeal teratoma, widely recognized as a complex procedure.
  2. verified: A fetus at 23 weeks was diagnosed with a massive sacrococcygeal teratoma, a rare tumor that can overload the heart and become fatal before birth.
    Sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is a rare tumor, and medical sources confirm that large SCTs can cause the fetal heart to work harder, leading to complications like hydrops and potentially fetal death if not treated. The specific case involved a 23-week fetus.
  3. verified: Dr Oluyinka Olutoye, a Nigerian born pediatric surgeon, helped lead the open fetal surgery.
    Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye is widely recognized as a Nigerian-born pediatric surgeon who co-led the groundbreaking fetal surgery at Texas Children's Hospital in 2016.
  4. verified: The fetus was partially removed from the womb while still connected to the placenta, allowing surgeons to remove most of the tumor and then return her to continue developing.
    Descriptions of the open fetal surgery confirm this precise technique: the fetus is partially removed, the tumor excised, and then the fetus is placed back into the uterus to complete gestation.
  5. verified: The pregnancy continued to 36 weeks. She was later born safely, and the remaining tumor tissue was removed after birth.
    News reports confirm that after the fetal surgery, the pregnancy continued, and the baby was born safely at 36 weeks. Any remaining tumor tissue was removed in a subsequent surgery after birth.
  6. verified: It remains one of the most remarkable examples of how advanced fetal surgery can change outcomes before life even begins outside the womb.
    While an opinion, the widespread media coverage and continued recognition of this surgery as a significant medical breakthrough support its characterization as 'remarkable.' Dr. Olutoye himself discusses the advancements in fetal surgery.

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