Amniotic band syndrome is a sporadic condition that occurs in approximately 
1:1200 to 1:15,000 live births and that may result in amputations, constrictions 
and other deformities of the fetus. Although some cases present with congenital 
anomalies that are beyond surgical repair, a selected group of fetuses may show 
isolated limb constriction. It has been speculated that, without treatment, 
amputation or severe dysfunction of the limb may occur. Despite these potential 
complications, surgical treatment for this selected group of fetuses has not 
been previously performed. We report two cases that were successfully treated 
using novel minimally invasive surgical techniques. The cases involved fetuses 
with amniotic band syndrome with associated limb constriction in which the 
amniotic band was surgically interrupted to avoid spontaneous amputation of the 
extremity. Adequate blood flow distal to the obstruction was preserved and 
significant functional improvement of the extremity occurred in both cases, 
preserving the limbs. These cases represent the first prenatal surgical 
intervention successfully used to treat constricting amniotic bands in humans. 
In addition, these cases represent the first time that a non-lethal fetal entity 
has been surgically treated in utero. The results of this innovative therapy 
will encourage the efforts to continue developing minimally invasive techniques 
for the correction of birth defects.