Who we are

Consortium physicians use the same criteria to determine whether a patient is a candidate for surgery and they also perform the procedures using the same surgical techniques. Eftichia V. Kontopoulos, M.D., and Ramen Chmait,M.D., both trained under Ruben Quintero, M.D., a pioneer in the field and have performed hundreds of fetal surgeries each.

This partnership presents patients with options for treatment on the East and West Coasts of the country, potentially cutting down on travel time and related expenses. All hospitals involved boast excellent resources in neonatology and all pediatric subspecialties

Ramen Chmait, M.D. received his medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He completed his residency at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center and a fellowship in
Maternal-Fetal medicine at the University of California, San Diego.
In 2004, Dr. Ramen Chmait moved to Florida where he trained in fetal surgery with Dr. Rubén Quintero.
Over the course of the next two years, Dr. Ramen Chmait assisted Dr. Quintero in several hundred fetal surgery cases, including the surgical management of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence (TRAP), selective intrauterine growth restriction (SIUGR), fetal lower urinary tract obstruction, amniotic band syndrome, fetal anemia, thoracic masses such at congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation and pulmonary sequestration, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and select congenital heart diseases
Dr. Chmait was then recruited to USC in 2006 to head the Fetal Surgery program, where he has continued to provide surgical treatment for the various fetal conditions listed above
Dr. Chmait may be contacted at chmait@usc.edu

Dr Ruben Quintero, M.D., a world renowned fetal surgeon.  Dr. Quintero is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Dr. Quintero is widely known for
developing the field of operative fetoscopy to treat birth defects in utero using minimally invasive techniques. He pioneered the selective laser surgery technique to treat twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) and proposed the Quintero Staging classification of TTTS that is used worldwide today. He is one of a few physicians worldwide who performs laser surgery to correct the syndrome. He has performed many of the “World’s First” procedures. He has also developed the surgical techniques to treat in utero amniotic bands, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, fetal tumors and other fetal and placental disorders.
Dr. Quintero can be reached at by e-mail at quintero@usfetus.org

Eftichia V. Kontopoulos, M.D. is also a world renown Fetal Surgeon She is a Maternal-Fetal medicine specialist and director of the Division of Obstetrical Ultrasound at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Dr Kontopoulos has
performed hundred fetal surgeries in cases in singletons, twins, and triplet gestations with complicated fetal anomalies and or high-risk diagnoses.
Dr Kontopoulos has been part of multiple studies involving the surgical management of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence (TRAP), selective intrauterine growth restriction (SIUGR), fetal lower urinary tract obstruction, amniotic band syndrome, fetal anemia, thoracic masses such at congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation and pulmonary sequestration, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and select congenital heart diseases. Dr. Kontopoulos is the author of numerous scientific articles and has co-authored chapters on the topic of fetal therapy and twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.
Dr. Kontopoulos may be reached at kontopoulos@usfetus.org