TY - JOUR
T1 - Fetal and neonatal echocardiographic findings in twin-twin transfusion syndrome
AU - Fesslova, V.
AU - Villa, L.
AU - Nava, S.
AU - Mosca, F.
AU - Nicolini, U.
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - OBJECTIVE: The study's aim was to analyze the type of cardiac involvement in fetuses or infants with twin-twin transfusion syndrome. STUDY DESIGN: Seventeen pairs of monochorionic diamniotic twin fetuses with twin- twin transfusion syndrome underwent serial Doppler echocardiographic studies. Repeated decompressive amniocenteses were performed in all pregnancies. RESULTS: No specific cardiac involvement was seen in donor twins in utero or after birth. All recipient twin fetuses showed variable degrees of biventricular hypertrophy and dilation with tricuspid regurgitation. These features were also evident in 45% of the recipient twin neonares. The fluid unbalance resolved with serial amniocenteses in 9 cases and in a further 2 after the death of the donor twin; in all 11 of these recipient twin fetuses there was some degree of improvement of the cardiac involvement, which became normal in all surviving recipient twin infants within 40 days to 6 months after birth. CONCLUSION: Features of cardiac hypertrophy with signs of a prehydropic or hydropic state develop during fetal life in recipient twins in twin-twin transfusion syndrome; this impairment is reversible with the resolution of the fluid imbalance or after delivery.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The study's aim was to analyze the type of cardiac involvement in fetuses or infants with twin-twin transfusion syndrome. STUDY DESIGN: Seventeen pairs of monochorionic diamniotic twin fetuses with twin- twin transfusion syndrome underwent serial Doppler echocardiographic studies. Repeated decompressive amniocenteses were performed in all pregnancies. RESULTS: No specific cardiac involvement was seen in donor twins in utero or after birth. All recipient twin fetuses showed variable degrees of biventricular hypertrophy and dilation with tricuspid regurgitation. These features were also evident in 45% of the recipient twin neonares. The fluid unbalance resolved with serial amniocenteses in 9 cases and in a further 2 after the death of the donor twin; in all 11 of these recipient twin fetuses there was some degree of improvement of the cardiac involvement, which became normal in all surviving recipient twin infants within 40 days to 6 months after birth. CONCLUSION: Features of cardiac hypertrophy with signs of a prehydropic or hydropic state develop during fetal life in recipient twins in twin-twin transfusion syndrome; this impairment is reversible with the resolution of the fluid imbalance or after delivery.
KW - Fetal echocardiography
KW - Twin pregnancy
KW - Twin-twin transfusion syndrome
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031770748&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031770748&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0002-9378(98)70215-7
DO - 10.1016/S0002-9378(98)70215-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 9790398
AN - SCOPUS:0031770748
VL - 179
SP - 1056
EP - 1062
JO - American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
JF - American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
SN - 0002-9378
IS - 4
ER -