The management of congenital upper airway anomalies and the ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure

The ‘EX-utero Intrapartum Treatment’ (EXIT) procedure is one option for the management of babies where there is a prenatal suspicion or diagnosis of airway anomaly which may compromise respiration and the ability to establish an effective airway in the first few minutes of life. The decision to proceed with an EXIT procedure, and the subsequent planning and execution, is an illustration of multi-disciplinary team working at its most complex and sophisticated. It is important to have clear assessment of all options, to balance the risks and benefits for both mother and baby of each of these, and to encourage close involvement of families in the decision-making process. There are two steps; the decision to proceed with a specialist delivery and the development of an individualised delivery plan.