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Doctors have used keyhole surgery for the first time in the UK to correct the spine of an unborn baby with spina bifida.

Surgeons at King’s College Hospital in London carried out the operation while Sherrie Sharp was 27 weeks' pregnant with her son Jaxson.

The 20-week scan had shown problems with how his spine was forming.

While surgeons say the procedure is not a cure, they say it is a pioneering measure that could be the difference between some children learning to walk or not.

Ms Sharp, 29, from Horsham, West Sussex, said she wanted to go through with the three- hour operation despite knowing there were risks involved.

Doctors had explained to her that the spinal cord was protruding from the baby’s back, leaving him exposed to amniotic fluid in the womb, which damages crucial nerves and could lead to paralysis.

She said: "When we found out Jaxson had spina bifida I was given a number of options.

"We knew we wanted to keep our baby and I'm here today thanks to the specialists at King's so I wanted my baby to have the same chance.

"The procedure took over three hours and the specialists were happy with how it went.

"We're thrilled with our beautiful boy and even though he arrived earlier than expected, he's doing well and his back is healing nicely."

Doctors sedated Mr Sharp with an anaesthetic which also effected Jaxson, helping prevent him from wriggling.

Surgeons used keyhole surgery to put the spinal cord back in place and cover it with a patch.

Dr Marta Santorum-Perez, a consultant at the Fetal Medicine Unit at King's, told the BBC: "We are operating on very delicate structures - the foetus's nerves.

"The foetus is very small and inside the womb, so obviously it's a very delicate operation."

Jaxson has now been born, arriving early at 33 weeks, and his mother hopes the operation has given her son the best start in life.

She said: "He's got movements in his legs, we were told he'd have minimal movements if we didn't have the surgery and he wouldn't be able to move at all.

"I've got high hopes for him, from day one he's done things, he's amazed us all.

"He makes me proud every day, he's just a miracle."